


Sweet Dreams (Within You, Without)

by dragonbornette



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dreams, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Noctis is a little shit, Starts out fluffy, Unrequited Love, angst will happen too, ardyn is a little rapey but it won't be in here, but it'll be hot, gets dirty later, guess from who though, it's just a warning, poor ignis, there's a little bit of torture, this might get a little sci-fi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-04 17:26:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonbornette/pseuds/dragonbornette
Summary: Noctis is suffering from terrible insomnia. But when he finally manages a night of sleep, he meets his soulmate.But is he real?





	1. Chapter 1

“Noct!”

Jerking from his daze with a soft grunt, Noctis blushes in embarrassment as he looks to the blond across the table. “Sorry, Prom,” he mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

“Uh, dude, no you’re not!” Prompto exclaims, crossing his arms. “Astrals, do I have to buy you, like, ten coffees or something to get you to pay attention? This is like, the fifth time you’ve zoned out on me in the past _hour_.”

“I’m sorry, Prom, really,” Noctis tries to say, reaching across the table to touch the other boy's arm in apology. “I didn’t sleep well last night… Well, I haven’t been sleeping well at _all_ lately…”

Prompto shifts slightly in his seat, blue eyes suddenly worried as he frowns. “You’re still having trouble sleeping, dude?” he asks, receiving a nod. He looks away, worried and uncomfortable. “Have you tried _anything_ to help?”

“No, Prom, I love losing multiple nights of sleep to insomnia.”

Prompto shoots Noctis a sharp look before sighing and sitting back in his seat. “Can I help at all?” he asks in a small voice, unable to help his worry.

Noctis just shrugs. “I would’ve asked if I thought you could,” he says in reply, reaching for the coffee Prompto had bought for him, but it was cold.

The blond jumps to his feet quite suddenly, startling Noctis as he walks over and takes his arm. “Let’s go watch a movie, then,” he says, suddenly determined. “I’ll try to help you sleep, and if it doesn’t work, then I’m pushing you down to the doctor’s.”

“Prom, I don’t need—”

“—I know you don’t like them, dude, but I’ll go with you if you want,” Prompto interjects. “You need sleep. We’ve got exams coming up.”

“Damn you and your aptitude for academics,” Noctis mutters sarcastically, letting Prompto pull him to his feet as they leave the café and head back to their apartment. They're closing in on finishing their second semester at LIU. Noctis has steadily maintained an undeclared major while Prompto has successfully jetted through the Photography program the university offers. Although they both have exams, the weight is much stronger on Noctis's uncertain shoulders.

The walk is silent. Noctis’s fatigue is evident now that he’d confessed, and Prompto can feel his friend’s weight against him. He slips an arm around his friend's waist as innocently as he can muster and hoists him up a bit.

“What do you feel like watching?” he asks, glancing at the dark-haired boy against him and offering a flashy smile, but Noctis can only manage a shrug. He looks miserable now and Prompto feels terrible.

“I don’t care, Prom, just pick something. I’ll watch, I promise.”

“Don’t force yourself, dude. If you fall asleep, I won’t get mad. That's the point of this.”

“I won’t fall asleep.”

Prompto frowns, but helps Noctis up the stairs when they reach the apartment complex, letting them both inside once they reach the door. Noctis walks inside and flops on the couch as Prompto shuts the door behind them.

“Fuck, I’m so tired,” the raven-haired boy breathes as Prompto walks over to the TV and grabs one of his favorite movies. He doesn’t want to spend an eternity picking, so he just pops it in and sits beside his friend on the couch as the movie starts.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” the blond asks quietly, watching as his normally equally-as-bubbly friend sags on the couch with an arm over his eyes. It was making him uncomfortable. They _lived_ together and he’d completely missed the severity of this.

“Because you go all mother hen on me, like you’re doing now,” Noctis says pointedly, lifting his arm to eye Prompto.

“Well, shit, Noct, forgive me for being concerned,” Prompto mutters as he rubs his arm in embarrassment and looks away.

“Fuck, Prompto, I’m sorry.” Noctis sits up with a sigh and looks at his friend. “I’m really tired. Please ignore me.”

Prompto rolls his eyes, unable to help a smile. “I’m not gonna ignore you, dude,” he says, looking back at Noctis as he reaches with one hand. “Here, watch the movie. Lemme see if I can help you sleep.”

Noctis eyes his friend’s hand warily. “…What are you going to do?”

“Neck massage, dude.” Prompto wiggles his fingers. “Just let me try.”

Noctis really isn’t too sure about this, but he can’t really turn down a neck massage when it’s being so willingly offered. He scoots closer to Prompto and shifts to turn his back to his friend, a warm hand squeezing at his neck seconds later. He gasps in surprise, stunned by the expert way Prompto’s fingers work his tired muscles. His eyes are already growing heavy as he leans his head forward.

“Feel good?”

“Nn…”

Prompto smiles behind Noctis and continues to massage the other boy’s neck before shifting to Noctis’s shoulder. He lifts his other hand and starts massaging both shoulders, glancing at the movie while he works and laughing before suddenly Noctis sways and slumps back against him.

“Oof…” Prompto breathes before he wraps his arms around his friend with a smile, turns to the movie, and lets Noctis sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

“Excuse me, are you alright?” an accented voice asks.

A soft shake to his shoulder has Noctis groaning and stirring awake. He lifts his head from his folded arms on the table, looking around in confusion. “What?” he asks, blinking away the sleep as his eyes find an unfamiliar face staring back at him. “Uh, yeah, I’m fine. I guess… I must have fallen asleep.”

“May I sit here?”

Noctis blinks some more, yawning as he shakes his head. “Um, I’m with my friend, but…” He looks around to find where Prompto might have gone, only to find he has no idea where he is. “…Wait a minute… Where am I?”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” the stranger asks, setting his things down as Noctis looks to him. He’s immediately taken away by the man’s beauty. Although he’s sitting now, Noctis had noticed his tall stature. He’s dressed in dark colors, expensive clothes. His hair, dirty blonde and short, is styled up with a few stray strands falling across his face. His features a tantalizing mixture of chiseled and soft, eyes a striking emerald behind stylish glasses. He grips two coffees in gloved hands with long slender fingers and Noctis realizes he’s staring.

“Oh, I, um…” he stammers, train of thought long since derailed. “Last thing I remember was falling asleep with Prompto…” He blinks when one of the coffees is being handed to him.

“Don’t trouble yourself with that,” the strange man says in a voice dripping with sex as Noctis hesitantly takes the coffee. “I’m Ignis, by the way.”

“Did you drug me?” Noctis accuses, only slightly serious.

Ignis laughs before he can help it. “Hardly!” he exclaims, covering his mouth as he chuckles a moment longer. “You’ve been dozing for quite some now. I thought it best to wake you. Should you have somewhere to be.”

Noctis eyes his coffee, sniffing it with suspicion.

“I swear on my mother’s grave, Six rest her soul, that I did not drug you,” Ignis swears, gaze serious and Noctis believes him.

He’s not a huge fan of coffee, despite his trips to the café with Prompto, but he sips the drink given him and closes his eyes with a groan of approval. This is the best coffee he’s ever had.

“Noctis,” he offers, opening his eyes to look at Ignis, who smiles.

“Noctis,” the strange man repeats. In that accent, Noctis decides Ignis should say his name all the time.

The dark-haired boy can’t help but smile back, unable to help the strong attraction he is feeling for the man sitting across the table. Something about Ignis just made him feel warm and safe, and Noctis feels rather embarrassed for thinking the man had any ill intentions towards him.

Though, none of this explains where he is right now, how he’d gotten there, or why he isn’t at his apartment with Prompto. He clearly remembers falling asleep there. But as he watches Ignis watching him, Noctis can’t help but feel like it isn’t important anymore. That somehow, everything would work out the way it’s supposed to.

“Are you from around here?” he finds himself asking Ignis, who is idly stroking the side of coffee with one long finger.

Noctis’s eyes drop down at the motion and he finds himself staring, missing the other man’s reply in the process.

“Noctis?”

“Huh?” Noctis’s eyes snap back up before he flushes in embarrassment. “Sorry.”

Ignis just smiles, rising from the table in one fluid movement as he steps over to where Noctis is sitting. He takes one of the raven-haired boy’s hands in his own, sighing. “I’m afraid our time has been cut short,” he says, and Noctis frowns.

“What? Why?”

Ignis’s smile stays where it is as he lifts their hands to his lips and kisses Noctis’s softly. “I hope to see you again, darling,” he says, and Noctis’s cheeks are burning, stomach tingling before everything fades to black.

 

* * *

 

 

Opening his eyes, Noctis stares up to find a familiar ceiling fan spinning overhead. He sits up immediately and looks around, confused. His is back in his apartment. He rubs his forehead and leans against the couch he clearly remembers falling asleep on.

It had been a dream? But it was so _real_. Ignis had been so real, and the realization that he isn’t crushes Noctis.

Ignis had been very sweet, and very concerned for him.

And Noctis grows more confused and a little scared. He’d never dreamt like that before. The level of realness he’d felt was beyond any dream. How could that _not_ have been real? All the sensations, the fatigue of waking up, Ignis’s hand on his shoulder and hand, the taste of the coffee, Ignis’s _kiss_. Noctis would even swear he could still taste the coffee.

He is so convinced he’d been in another place, he’d bet his whole bank account.

But then, Noctis recalls being at the café with Prompto, sipping the coffee there, and the dream starts to become a little less real. Noctis realizes that his brain was probably just overcompensating for not getting sleep.

Frustrated, Noctis swings his legs over the edge of the couch and buries his face in his hands as he rubs at his forehead. He wonders what time it is and where Prompto is. As if on cue, he hears a noise and the blond is shuffling into the living room, rubbing sleepily at his face.

“Noct?” he calls in a yawn. “You awake?”

“Prom? What are you doing up?” Noctis asks, smiling for some reason as the blond sits next to him on the couch and yawns again.

“Peeing, dude,” Prompto explains. “I was just checking on you before I went back to bed.” He frowns at his friend when he realizes Noctis is awake. “Still having trouble sleeping?”

“Not really,” Noctis tries to explain, turning to find the clock. He is pleasantly surprised to see it’s shortly after three in the morning. “I just woke up from a dream. It was…really weird.”

“Yeah?” Prompto asks, yawning again. “What kind of dream?”

Noctis shoves his friend’s shoulder with a laugh. “I’ll tell you in the morning,” he says. “You’re bushed. Go back to sleep.”

“Fine fine,” Prompto easily agrees, rising to his feet to go back to his room as Noctis gets up to follow. He heads to the bathroom first, staring in the mirror for a long time as he thinks about the dream. He glances down at the hand Ignis kissed and shyly lifts it to his own to kiss.

He swears he can taste coffee on his hand.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Noctis takes care of business and heads to bed, still smiling as he changes into some pajamas and climbs under the covers. He wonders if he’ll ever see Ignis again in his dreams, but he falls asleep, smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis dreams again. Regis is concerned. Prompto is skeptical. A new figure comes into play.

“Oh, Noctis…” the concerned voice of his father brings Noctis out of his exhausted slumber. He awakes to find himself drooling over his textbooks in his apartment, unaware of who had woken him just yet.

“Fuck…” he curses as he sits up, wiping at his mouth. He looks over his papers and books to make sure his drool hasn’t ruined anything.

“ _Noctis_ …” his father’s voice warns, Noctis’s gaze snapping up to see the older man standing before him and jumping in surprise. His father definitely didn't dress down for the occasion, wearing his royal clothes and cape like this was an official meeting.

“Dad, what are you doing here?”

“Is it getting worse, my son?” Regis asks, ignoring the question as he limps forward and touches Noctis’s hair in concern with his free hand. Noctis almost pulls away before he gives in and lets his father console him, nodding.

“Yeah…” he sighs. “I’m up all night because I can’t sleep and then I end up falling asleep during class, or conversations with people…” He trails off and frowns.

“Come and see the doctor at the Citadel, my son,” Regis insists. “I’ll make the arrangements.”

Noctis’s gaze shoots up to his father and he shakes his head. “No, dad, I couldn’t—”

“—I’m not asking, Noctis.”

Aware of his son’s dislike for doctors, Regis’s intense gaze doesn’t leave his son until Noctis’s shoulders sag in defeat. “Thank you,” the king of Lucis says. “I think you’ve done enough studying. Perhaps you should get some sleep.”

Noctis looks up at his father. “You never told me why you’re here,” he replied, closing his books and pushing them to the side.

“I was just stopping by to check on you,” Regis sounds slightly offended. “A good thing I did.”

“You don’t have to do that, you know.” Noctis rises to his feet. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

Regis eyes his son, trying to mask the hurt. “You’re my son,” he reminds softly. “I agreed to let you go to university against my wishes. It’s the least I can do to check and make sure you’re alright.” He pauses. “Since you never come to the Citadel.”

Noctis avoids his father’s gaze at those words. Regis wasn’t one to guilt trip, but those words evoked plenty of guilt in the young prince. He nods after a moment and then looks up at his father. “…Sorry, dad.”

Regis walks with Noctis back to his bedroom, the sound of his cane echoing oddly in the hall, and he watches as Noctis yawns and sits down on his bed. “Try and get some rest,” he says from the doorway.

Tired blue eyes look up. “I’ll try, dad,” he promises and Regis’s face softens as he approaches Noctis.

“If you keep stressing like this, my son, sleeping won’t get any easier for you,” the king reminds as he touches Noctis’s hair and strokes softly. “Please try and relax.”

Noctis moves to lay down, bunching his pillow in his hands as he buries his face in it. “I’ll try,” he says again, voice muffled.

Regis rubs Noctis’s shoulder lovingly before giving it a squeeze. “Goodnight, Noctis,” he whispers before rising to his feet and shutting the door behind him as he leaves.

Once he was alone, Noctis rolls onto his back and looks towards the door. He doesn’t like being a jerk to his dad, but sometimes he feels so babied, he doesn’t know how else to act. But he’d told Regis the truth, more or less. He could barely manage three hours of sleep a night, if he was lucky. He was falling asleep in classes, or during conversations like with Prompto.

Exams are closing in and Noctis feels so unprepared, he fears he might fail and flunk out.

Covering his eyes with one hand, the young Lucian prince tries to relax, but he feels like he’s failing. With his father now in the picture, Noctis feels edgy and now he knows tonight is going to be another sleepless night. He starts to wonder when the last time he got a full night of sleep is…

…and his thoughts drift back to Ignis.

Almost instantly, a smile blooms on Noctis’s face as he curls up, clutching the pillow to his chest. He realizes he hasn’t thought about the dream in a few days, and he feels disappointed in himself for forgetting so quickly. But the longer his thoughts dwell on Ignis, the more tired he becomes, and suddenly, he’s swept away into slumber.

 

* * *

 

 

“Ah, you’ve returned,” says a pleasant voice.

Lifting his head from his arms, Noctis blinks in confusion and wonders where he’s dozed off this time. “Sorry sir,” he mumbles, thinking he’s in class. “I haven’t been sleeping well.” His eyes lift and meet a pair of kind, concerned emeralds and immediately Noctis is blushing in embarrassment.

Ignis chuckles at the younger man’s blush, touching his hair affectionately as he sits beside him at the table. He’s wearing another dark, expensive outfit and looks good enough to eat. “I was beginning to fear you’d never come back,” he admits as Noctis watches him in confusion.

“Where _is_ here?” he asks, looking around and noticing the strange way everything seems to be covered in a haze. It’s hard to notice any real details.

Ignis just chuckles again, pushing his glasses up his nose with a finger. “Let’s not waste time, mm?” he says. “Let’s talk about you.”

“Talk about me? Why?”

“Why are you always sleeping?”

“I’m always sleeping?” Noctis questions with a sarcastic laugh. “I’m _never_ sleeping.”

“It’s quite hard to wake you, you know,” Ignis remarks as if Noctis hasn’t spoken. “And if you’re not sleeping, you’re not here at all.”

“I don’t even understand how I _got_ here.”

“You said you don’t sleep? At all? Why?” Ignis leans back in his chair, draping an arm behind Noctis as his hand brushes the younger man’s shoulder. He looks so comfortable, so casual and well-put together, Noctis can only stare. It's like Ignis is the prince and Noctis is just some commoner.

“…Um, I guess it’s because I have exams coming up, and I’m nervous?”

“Don’t be.”

“…huh? Why?”

“You’ll pass.”

“What, are you psychic?”

Ignis laughs, face lighting up and it’s beautiful. “No,” he grins, finger tracing the coffee on the table as Noctis stares. “I just have faith you in you, darling. You won’t fail.” He catches Noctis staring but keeps stroking the coffee cup. “Relax, you’re with me now.”

“I still don’t understand.”

“There is no need to,” Ignis says, leaning close as he touches Noctis’s face. “Nothing has to make sense here.”

“Are you even real?” Noctis leans into that touch.

“Of course I am!” Ignis exclaims, drawing back and seeming actually offended.

“Sorry!” Noctis apologizes, sitting up and reaching for Ignis’s shoulder, touching him. He's solid beneath his grip. “I…I told you, I don’t understand what’s going on.” He bites his lip. “…I thought you were a dream.”

“And if I am?”

“Then, I’ll be disappointed.”

Ignis smiles knowingly. “Why?”

“Because…” Noctis says and he realizes he doesn’t know why. He just _likes_ Ignis. The man is beautiful and warm and smooth. “I don’t know you, but I like you…”

“Does anyone really ever take the time to get to know another in their dreams?” Ignis asks, taking the hand from his shoulder and twining their fingers together.

Noctis’s brow furrows as he looks at their hands. “No, but…”

“But what?” Ignis murmurs and when Noctis looks up, the man’s face is an inch away from his, lips hovering over his own.

Noctis doesn’t answer, just presses his lips to Ignis’s. He doesn’t understand what he’s doing, only knows that he wants to kiss Ignis. If it’s really just a dream, then there’s no harm here, right? It made sense if it was just a dream.

“You're leaving again, darling,” Ignis whispers as they break apart, and Noctis’s world fades to dark.

 

* * *

 

Noctis’s eyes open to the gray light of early morning. “…What?” he murmurs as he wakes before he sits up and looks around. He realizes he’s been dreaming and sags back against his bed. “Oh.”

Disappointed at the realization, Noctis sighs and tries to remember the dream. It’s only a minute before he remembers the kiss and a smile crosses his face. He touches his lips and swears he can taste the other man on them.

But Noctis is confused. He’s never dreamt like this before. He almost never lucid dreams and the two times he actually remembers doing so, he was so stoked to realize he was lucid dreaming that he’d tried to fly. But these dreams of Ignis… They were so _vivid_. He could taste and touch and smell. And he could remember those sensations after waking like they’d been real.

What was going on?

Knowing he’s doomed to stay awake, Noctis gets up from bed and shuffles over to his laptop, opening it and pulling up his homework. He almost immediately gets a ping from Prompto on his messenger and groans as he hears fumbling from the blond’s room. Within seconds, Prompto is in his doorway.

“Noct, dude, why aren’t you asleep?”

“What do you think, Prom? I woke up again.” Noctis keeps his back to the door, scrolling over his homework with extreme disinterest.

“You still can’t sleep?” Soft footsteps pad into the room and Noctis can hear his bed squeak as Prompto sits down. “That’s it, dude. I’m taking you to the doctor.”

“Too late,” Noctis sighs. “My dad already made an appointment.”

“…You…you talked to your dad?!” Prompto exclaims. “When?”

“He came here last night, I guess you were out.” Noctis rubs at his forehead and looks at his friend. “Can I still take you up on that offer to go with me?"

“Of course!” Prompto exclaims all too eagerly, but Noctis can’t help smiling.

A silence falls between them before Noctis clears his throat. “I, um, had another dream, though…”

Prompto lifts an eyebrow. “If it’s about that guy again, I’m gonna kill him,” he says. “He keeps waking you up!”

Noctis is still smiling. “Yeah, well, this dream was worth it though.”

“What?”

“We kissed.”

Prompto gawks.

“I don’t get these dreams, though, Prom,” the prince is saying as he turns back to his laptop, “but whatever. I really should finish my homework.”

Prompto hesitates, wanting to talk more, but he nods. “Sure, dude, just let me know if you want any help.”

“Thanks.”

Noctis tries, he really does, to do his homework, but his thoughts insist on drifting back to Ignis. He thinks about the kiss, the way their lips touched, the smell of the other man’s cologne and coffee. He groans and drops his head into his hands.

“Fuck.” How is this possible? How could he be falling for a guy in his _dreams_? Who isn’t _real_?

Rubbing his forehead and trying to blame his emotions on his fatigue, Noctis suddenly realizes he doesn’t feel tired. After a moment of recollection, he realizes he had felt well-rested after the last dream with Ignis too.

Slamming his pen down on his desk, Noctis is filled with a bout of determination. He is going to get to the bottom of this.

 

* * *

 

“What are we doing here, exactly?” Prompto whispers as they walk into the library.

Noctis rolls his eyes. “Researching dreams,” he reminds as he sits down in front of a computer and pulls up the library’s page. He starts typing as Prompto sits beside him.

“Why?” he’s asking. “Just because you dreamt about some random guy twice? Noct, I think you’re going a little too far with this."

“Ugh, Prom, you don’t _understand_ ,” Noctis hisses as a list of books come up. He starts writing down the information and shoots Prompto a look. “I can’t explain it. There’s just something about these dreams, and I have to figure out what. If I’m wrong, and it’s nothing, then I’m going crazy and you’ll just have to graduate college without me.”

Prompto sighs in resignation and follows Noctis around the library as the prince locates the books on his list one by one. He helps Noctis carry them back to a table and watches as the prince painstakingly read through each one. Bored, Prompto picks one up and flips through it idly.

“I still think you’re overreacting.”

“Then, just sit there and be quiet and let me do this,” Noctis snaps before he looks up apologetically.

“I know, I know, you’re just cranky because you’re not sleeping.”

Noctis gives Prompto a small smile and goes back to reading before he sits up. “Hey, listen to this,” he says, pointing to a paragraph in the book. “From a study done in Niflheim a few years back, ‘subjects shown to have been lucid, actively conscious in the dreamscape, and were able to participate in the environment without any of the normal limitations imposed in the subconscious’.” His eyes narrow as Prompto shrugs.

“So, what, you’re just lucid dreaming?”

“…That’s what it sounds like, doesn’t it?” Noctis replies as his eyes scan the page. It contains a plethora of information on lucid dreaming and the studies Niflheim was doing on them at the time. He shuts the book and looks to Prompto. “I’m taking this with me.”

Prompto lifts an eyebrow. “That’s it? You’re not going to look at the others?”

“Then, I’ll come back?” Noctis retorts as if he didn’t just waste their time gathering all the books he was leaving on the table. “Stop being a jerk, Prom. If I really didn’t think something was up, I wouldn’t be wasting our time like this.”

Prompto opens his mouth to reply, but decides otherwise. He knows Noctis is cranky and moody because he’s not getting enough sleep, but his friend’s behavior is bordering on irrational. He sighs and follows his friend to the counter. “Did your dad schedule the appointment?”

“Yeah,” Noctis says as he finishes checking out the book. “Not until Friday. A few more sleepless nights won’t kill me. You’re still going with me right?”

Prompto gives his friend a sympathetic look and nods.

“I’ll be okay, Prom,” Noctis reassures as they head out the building, shoving the book into his bag.

The blond doesn’t look too sure, but he checks his watch and sighs. “I gotta go, man,” he says. “I’ll see you back home, okay?”

Noctis nods and the two part ways as the prince walks back to the apartment alone. He’s so lost in thought that he doesn’t notice the dark figure trailing him, wrapped in a flowing dark coat, scarf, and hat. It isn’t until he hears a dark chuckle and eerie hum that Noctis whirls around.

But nothing is there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know these are a bit on the short side. I hope to make them longer <3 Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The situation with Ignis develops. Noct sees the doctor. And a certain purple-haired man appears.
> 
> Also Prompto and Noctis fight.

By the time Noctis returns to his apartment, he’s forgotten about the strange encounter on his way home. He would’ve sworn someone was following him, sworn someone was laughing, but no one was there. He chalks it up to sleep-deprivation and sits down to read the book he’d gotten from the library.

He’s floored by the information within. The Niflheim study has plenty more to say on the subject of lucid dreams, recollection, behavior, and more. Although Noctis can’t help but feel like he’s missing something, that this book is withholding something from him, he keeps reading. The more he reads, the more convinced he becomes that his dream is something more than what it is.

And now he has a goal. Now he has something he can try and figure out if he ever dreams about Ignis again. He has this feeling that he’s running out of time.

Three days pass since he checked out the book from the library. Three days and he’s done nothing but research dreams and lucid dreams. He knows his doctor’s appointment is tomorrow, knows Prompto’s worried about him, and knows his dad has been made aware of this strange obsession by now, but Noctis finds he doesn’t care.

He needs to know _more_.

Sighing as he finishes a chapter, Noctis closes the book and sets it on his nightstand. He hears the faint ping of someone messaging him on his laptop, but he rightly assumes it’s Prompto. Sure enough, when he doesn’t respond, there’s a knock on his door and the blond is peeking in.

“Oh,” Prompto says, disappointed. “You’re awake.”

Noctis offers a smile. “I’m about to go to bed,” he assures.

Relief sets into the blond’s face as he nods to Noctis. “Okay good. I’ll wake you for your appointment in the morning, then.”

Noctis frowns slightly at the mention of his appointment, but nods to his friend and settles down to sleep as the door shuts. He tries to think about other things, like what he read in the books, and what he can do to try and implement them should he dream about Ignis again.

He hopes he dreams about Ignis.

And slowly, he dozes off and drifts off into slumber once more.

 

* * *

 

When he opens his eyes, sunlight is streaming through the window he’s sitting next to. He groans and looks away, glancing around at his vivid, yet somehow still filmy surroundings. He is in the café again, but Ignis is nowhere to be found, at first. Noctis sits up, blinking in confusion as he wonders where the other man is, when the door to the café opens and the tall man all but glides in.

Immediately, Noctis is smiling, and when Ignis’s gaze finds him, the other man seems genuinely surprised.

“Good heavens, you’re awake this time,” he observes with a pleasant smile, making his way over to the blushing Lucian prince.

“Yeah, well,” Noctis murmurs, rubbing the back of his neck before Ignis is suddenly in front of him. He jumps in surprise, but Ignis’s smile is warm and inviting. He really seems happy that Noctis is there, and Noctis pushes everything he'd worried about out of his head. He doesn’t care anymore about what this is or if this is lucid dreaming, he wants to enjoy himself.

“Yes, well, what?” Ignis is asking, tilting his head. “Has your sleeping improved?”

“Not really, but I have a doctor’s appointment tom—” A hand covers his mouth.

“—Don’t talk about _when_ ,” Ignis warns, eyes wide as he leans in close.

Noctis’s eyes go wide too, but he nods in understanding, even though he doesn’t. “…I have a doctor’s appointment,” he says once Ignis removes his gloved hand.

“You are in no need of a doctor, though,” the elegant man insists as he brings Noctis to his feet. “They cannot give you what you need.”

“Tell that to my father, my friend, and my failing grades,” Noctis retorts, but Ignis is smiling.

“There’s no need,” he says, cupping Noctis’s face in one hand, other arm slipping around the prince’s waist. “Do you not see how easy it is to fall asleep when you think of me? When you want to see me, here I am?” His thumb brushes Noctis’s cheek. “And have you not noticed you feel better when you wake?”

Noctis glances away for a moment, thinking before he nods. “Yeah, I do…” he breathes, looking back at Ignis.

The taller man smiles, reaching to cup Noctis’s face in both hands before he pulls the prince in for a gentle kiss. His smile grows when Noctis leans into it, when the younger man’s face touch his own, and when they pull back from the kiss, they hold each other.

“I can’t help it,” Noctis is whispering, pulling back to shake his head. “I don’t understand this. Why am I falling for you? Why does this make sense?” He’s suddenly scared. “It can only make sense if it’s not real.”

Ignis touches his forehead to Noctis’s, shushing him as he looks deep into the prince’s blue eyes. “Please, darling, don’t trouble yourself,” he instructs. “We’re here now. Enjoy it.”

Noctis nods, somehow convinced. “Tell me about you?” he pleads, touching Ignis’s face softly, curiously. The taller man’s face is soft and warm beneath his fingers. He smells expensive cologne and coffee and cigarettes. Ignis smells _amazing._

“What would you like to do know?”

“Everything.”

Ignis smiles and tightens his hold on Noctis as they stand in the café, wrapped in each other’s arms, oblivious and ignorant to their surroundings. “I’m yours,” he says simply.

Noctis returns the smile and buries his face against Ignis’s neck, cheeks burning as he lets his hands slip down the taller man’s back. “Really?” he asks, pulling back to look up at Ignis, who nods in response. His hands slip down into the back pockets of Ignis’s pants and lifts an eyebrow when he feels a pack of cigarettes. He steals a kiss as he plucks a cigarette from the pack to inspect. “You smoke?”

“Sometimes,” Ignis replies airily. “Does that bother you?”

Noctis shakes his head. “I used to smoke until my dad caught me,” he says. “He threw such a fit, it wasn’t really worth it to keep up the habit. I never picked it back up.”

Ignis chuckles, nodding before he frowns. “…You’re leaving.”

Looking up sharply, Noctis tries to reach for Ignis, but his vision fades to black.

 

* * *

 

Eyes opening, Noctis groans and presses a hand to his face. He’s overcome with emotion and longing and frustration over his time with Ignis, unsure of how much more he could take. He closes his eyes, thinking about the dream, when…

 _I’m yours_.

Ignis’s words echo in his head and Noctis’s heart clenches. He brings his hands to his chest and suddenly realizes he’s holding something. Stilling in confusion, Noctis’s eyes widen when he sees that he’s holding Ignis’s cigarette.

Color drains from his face as Noctis flies upright in his bed. His hand shakes so much, he drops the cigarette in his lap. He doesn’t know what to do what to think, how to explain the existence of the cigarette. He’d never smoked these in his life and he’s quite certain Prompto doesn’t smoke either, and if he did, it couldn’t be this brand. Had he sleepwalked somewhere and picked it up?

No, he would know if he had. This could only mean one thing.

Ignis was _real_.

He’s still staring at the cigarette when there’s a knock on his door and Prompto is poking his head in again. “Noct, buddy, time to—oh, hey, you’re up.” He frowns. “You didn’t sleep?” He notices the cigarette on the bed and frowns. “You’re smoking again? Dude…”

“Prom…” Noctis says, picking up the cigarette and holding it up for the blond to view. “…This isn’t mine, look…”

Hesitant, Prompto enters the room and takes the cigarette, frowning when he recognizes it as a brand neither he or Noctis ever smoked. He drops the stick after a moment and steps back, expression confused and angry. “This isn’t funny, dude.”

“Do you see me laughing?” Noctis asks in reply before realizing the bigger truth in Prompto’s reaction. “…You still don’t believe me?”

“I don’t know what to believe, Noct!” Prompto exclaims, letting out his frustrations. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings, dude, but this is ridiculous! You’re _dreaming_.”

“I have the cigarette _right here_ , Prompto!” Noctis shouts back, harsher than he means to and the blond flinches. “What more proof do you need?”

When Prompto doesn’t answer, Noctis fumes and gets up from his bed, storming past his friend and into the bathroom. He slams the door shut behind him and tries not to cry. The one person he expects to be on his side thinks he's crazy, and it hurts more than Noctis ever thought it could.

 

* * *

 

He goes to the doctor alone.

He comes out of the shower and Prompto is nowhere to be found, and just as he thinks maybe he can get away with not going to the appointment, his phone is ringing and it’s his dad on the line. The car is on its way to get him.

Noctis leaves the cigarette behind and rides in silence to the Citadel, stomach twisting with anxiety the closer they get to their destination. He expects his father to meet him there, but instead it’s someone he doesn’t recognize. He supposes things have changed since he’s been here last, but he would’ve thought his father would’ve sent someone he knew if he couldn’t be there himself.

Noctis follows the purple-haired man down the halls and to the elevator. “How is His Highness these days?”

The prince looks up with a frown, something eerily familiar in the grit of the man’s voice. “Tired,” he replies, glancing up at the strange man and meeting a pair of weird yellow eyes.

“Not sleeping?” The man clicks his tongue as they ride the elevator up. “What a shame.”

Noctis’s eyes narrow as the elevator doors open. “…Who are you?”

The man steps off without answering, calling for the prince to follow. “You must get your sleep, Highness,” he says. “It’s very important.”

He turns the corner and when Noctis catches up to him, the man is nowhere to be found.

 

* * *

 

Noctis doesn’t mention the weird man to anyone. Part of him worries he’s hallucinating, and part of him knows that man is as real as Noct.

The doctor’s visit was a nightmare. He asks about Noctis’s sleep habits, drug use, if he was depressed. When he brushes on the topic of dreams, Noctis can’t help letting it slip that he is having incredibly vivid ones and is trying to research them. This alarms the doctor for some reason, but Noctis doesn’t pay it any mind. He just wants to leave.

When he finally can, Noctis is out the door and nearly bowls over his father, but before they can speak, the doctor is asking to speak to the king.

Noctis waits out in the main room, eyeing his father and the doctor through the glass. The expression on the doctor’s face is grim and Regis’s face turns dark. He glances at his son, worry in his eyes, but a nurse arrives and hands the king a prescription bottle and gestures to Noct. They all glance the prince’s way and Noctis feels his cheeks flush when he’s caught watching.

Regis joins him in the waiting room and hands him the bottle, filled with pills. “You must start taking these, Noct,” he instructs. “They will help you sleep.”

Noctis takes the bottle, frowning at how easy it supposedly was to get help for this after all this time struggling. “Seriously? That’s all I need? Pills?”

Regis nods and walks with Noctis out of the doctor’s office, to the elevator. “You’ll be better in no time, my son,” he says as the doors open and they step on together.

Noctis stares at the bottle apprehensively as they ride the elevator down, parting ways with his father and heading to the car by himself. He hears that dark chuckle and whirls around, but he’s alone.

“You don’t need _pills_ ,” he hears the voice of the strange man from before say.

Frightened, Noctis bolts from the Citadel back to the car. He curls up in the backseat and tries not to cry as he’s driven back to his apartment.

 

* * *

 

Prompto still hasn’t returned when Noctis makes it back to the apartment. He double checks his friend’s room, but it’s empty. He frowns, feeling guilty for his outburst earlier, but it’s a bit unusual for Prompto to be out this long without saying something.

Pulling out his phone, Noctis sends the blond an apology text before heading into his room. He spots the cigarette on his desk from this morning and reaches for it, bringing it close and sniffing it. The smell alone whirls him back to the dream, and he can’t help a smile, but recalling the dreams is starting to become more anxiety-inducing.

Noctis pulls out the pills in his pocket, thinks about the strange yellow-eyed man and bites his lip. He doesn’t want to think about that right now. He needs to find something to put the cigarette in for safekeeping. An idea occurs to him and Noctis is digging through his drawers, frowning when it takes longer than he expects to find the small golden case tucked away in the back of his junk drawer.

He pulls the cigarette case free and lets out a soft laugh. Prompto had given it to him for his birthday back when they still smoked. Noctis opens the case and slips the cigarette inside before closing it and putting it in his back pocket.

When his phone buzzes with a text, Noctis quickly checks it. It’s from Prompto.

 

> _ill be home late_

 

Noctis frowns. He must’ve really upset Prompto this morning and he can’t help the guilt he feels. He sends another apology, but Prompto doesn’t text him back.

He winds up making himself some lunch and kills the rest of the day away by doing homework. It’s late when he finds himself sitting in his bed, staring at his pills like they’re the enemy. He can’t shake the feeling like he shouldn’t take them, but the strange man had said as much. And if Noct wasn’t hallucinating him then it had to be his subconscious or something protesting, right?

Frowning, the young prince opens the bottle and pours a dose into his hands, swallowing it dry and laying back in bed. It would be the first night of many that he would not dream about Ignis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if I'm putting these out too fast. I'm just excited and it's the weekend so I actually have time lololol


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens. Enter Gladio.

A week passes. Exams are only two weeks away now.

Prompto’s avoided Noctis all week, which sucked for several reasons. The main one being Noctis has no one to help him study, another being, well, the obvious. Of course he misses his friend. The prince finds himself staring at his textbooks, pen tapping impatiently against the paper he’s taking notes on. He’s trying to study, but failing miserably. He keeps thinking about the pills, how they’ve knocked him out all week. He’s catching up on his sleep, which is great, but…

He hasn’t dreamed. At all.

And Noctis can’t help but feel like he’s betrayed Ignis on some cosmic level, which is stupid, he knows, but the feeling is strong.

He’s still tapping his pen when he hears a knock on the door and Prompto pokes his head in.

“Hey,” the blond greets awkwardly, standing in the doorway like he’s afraid to come in.

Noctis turns in surprise, relief flooding his face. “Hey,” he says as he turns back to his notebook. “What’s up?”

“Came to see how you were and, um, stuff…” Prompto tries to play it off all cool, but he’s anxious as he pushes the door open a little more. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Smiling a little, Prompto swings the door open and steps in, walking over to sit on Noctis’s bed. “Thanks,” he says, bouncing on the mattress before stilling. “So, um, you have any more dreams?”

Noctis stiffens and looks at his friend. “Why do you care?” he snaps, harsher than he means to.

Prompto swallows like he’s expecting Noctis’s temper. “Because I’m curious and I want to know,” he answers, sounding sincere.

“Really?” Noctis asks, relaxing ever so slightly.

“I’m sorry, dude,” the blond says, shoulders slumping. “…I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, really.” He looks up at the prince. “But…you get why I got like that right?”

To be fair, Noct does, and he nods. “Yeah…”

“…So? Have you?”

“No,” Noctis’s eyes drop to the floor and he misses the relieved look that passes over Prompto’s face. “Not even close. Ever since I started taking the pills, I sleep like a rock, but…” He trails off, biting his lip as he reaches into his pocket. “…I don’t dream about _anything_.”

As he takes out the cigarette case and stares at it, Prompto brightens in surprise. “Hey, that’s the case I gave you!” he exclaims before he realizes what it contains and hesitates. “Um… Can I see it?”

Noctis glances up at his friend and then back to the case before nodding and handing it over. He watches as Prompto opens it and studies the cigarette before gasping.

“ _Six_ , Noct,” he breathes. “These are… We can’t even _get_ these here in Lucis!” His eyes snap back up to Noctis. “This is a Niflheim brand, and not even the cheap kind. These are expensive!”

Stunned, Noctis takes the case back and stares at it like the blond just confirmed the mysteries of the universe. “…I told you,” he breathes softly, distantly. “He’s…he’s got to be real.”

Prompto fidgets. “Maybe we should talk to Gladio,” he suggests, earning a confused look from the prince. “He loves weird shit like this, remember? He’s got to have some idea about what’s going on, dude.”

“I thought he and Nyx were away on a mission for my dad.”

“Well, yeah, but they’ve been back for a couple of days,” Prompto explains. “You didn’t know?”

Noctis frowns and glances at the bottle of pills on his nightstand. “No,” he says, feeling disappointed for some reason. “I guess I was just too wrapped up in…” He trails off and shakes his head. “You don’t think he’d mind us bothering him about this?”

“Course not, dude, he’s our friend,” Prompto assures, getting up from the bed. “Plus, you haven’t seen him in months.”

Noctis tries to remember why that is and fails. Instead, he nods in agreement and starts closing his textbooks. “Yeah, let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

“Princess? Chocobo?” Gladio’s staring at them in surprise after opening the door. He shakes off the confusion and reaches to pull Noctis into a one-armed hug, while his free hand ruffles Prompto’s hair. He’s looking as delicious as ever, hair slicked back, beard unshaven, and doesn’t spare them the eye candy with his shirt completely unbuttoned. His torso is still chiseled, tattoo still sick as fuck. He’s still the same Gladio. “What brings you two here?”

Prompto is busy squawking over his hair as Noctis pries himself free from Gladio’s hold. He’s rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly and misses the concerned stare his two friends share. “Came to say hey,” he explains, looking up at the big Crownsguard before him. “And to um, ask you about something.”

Gladio lifts an eyebrow but steps back and gestures for the two to come in. “Sure,” he says. “Pardon the mess. Still unpackin’.”

Noctis and Prompto follow Gladio into his apartment, sitting down on the couch in the living room while the big guy plants himself, spread-legged, in his armchair. He reaches for the beer sitting on the coffee table and takes a swig.

“Where’s Nyx?” Prompto’s asking, glancing around as Gladio shrugs.

“Store,” he says. “I think. Our panty is _empty_.” He chuckles and takes another drink before looking at Noctis. “So, whatcha want to ask me?”

Noctis can feel Prompto’s eyes on him and he shifts uncomfortably. Suddenly, he’s not too sure he wants to share this information with someone like Gladio, even though the big guy is his friend. “Well, um, I’ve been having these really weird dreams lately,” he begins. “Prompto thinks you might be able to help me figure them out.”

Gladio lifts an eyebrow and looks at Prompto, but the blond avoids his gaze. “What kinda weird dreams?” he asks, interest piqued as he turns his attention back to Noctis and sits up a bit.

“…Really _really_ lucid ones,” Noctis replies, trying not to fidget. “So lucid that I’m…” he hesitates and sighs. “…I’m convinced they’re real.” He expects Gladio to laugh but the older man’s face is dead serious.

“What happens?”

Surprised, Noctis blinks. “Well, there’s this guy…” He smiles a little. “He’s just… I wake up in this café and he’s there. He’s gorgeous and suave and he’s… just _there._ Interested in me, he wants to talk. So we do…” He trails off, cheeks darkening. “I’m falling for him and I don’t know why and…” He reaches into his pocket and produces the cigarette case. “Then, last time, I took one of his cigarettes in the dream and when I woke up… It was in my hand.”

Before he knows it, Gladio’s snatched the case from him and has it open, staring at the cigarette with a look Noctis can’t read. “Noct…”

“What?” the prince demands, reaching for the case.

Gladio opens his mouth to say something and then closes it, expression still unreadable. “…You need to be careful.” He hands the case back and Noctis frowns.

“Why?”

“…I don’t think this is a dream,” Gladio tries to explain, brow furrowing. “I think he…he might be real but—”

Prompto makes a noise in what sounds like disbelief, cutting Gladio off as both he and Noctis shoot the blond a look. Noctis can’t believe Prompto would still be this way when it was his idea to come over here, but the prince doesn’t understand why Gladio looks so annoyed. Maybe it’s because Prompto interrupted.

Gladio clears his throat and gives the blond a hard look before continuing. “…That cigarette is from Niflheim, Noct,” he says. “If this guy’s a Niff, this…this could be dangerous. Especially if he’s real. You don’t know what he’s doing in your head, especially if he knows who you are.” He shakes his head. “I mean, if it’s real. If this is really just a dream and something else explains that cigarette, then we got nothin’ to worry about.”

Noctis nods slowly, mind whirling with the idea that Ignis is real and this cigarette isn’t just some bizarre joke someone is playing on him. “It has to be real,” he whispers.

“Have you ever heard of reality checks?” Gladio is asking before he realizes how the question came out and laughs. “I mean in dreams.”

Noctis shakes his head.

“Ignoring the cigarette, let’s pretend these are still dreams for now,” the big guy says. “There are things you can do in a dream, lucid dreams rather, that can help you determine whether or not you’re dreaming. I can’t remember them off the top of my head, but you should look them up and help rule things out, ya know?”

Noctis is pocketing the case and on his feet, heart soaring that someone believes him. “Thanks, Gladio,” he says, touching his friend’s shoulder before getting to his feet.

“Noct—” Prompto tries, but the prince doesn’t want to hear it. He’s out the door before either of them can say another word.

 

* * *

 

When Noctis doesn’t dream about Ignis yet again, his frustration nearly brings him to tears. It’s been over a week, and although he’s happy he’s sleeping, he misses the strange man. He’d hoped after Gladio’s talk that he would dream again. He’d spent all day researching dreams further, including the reality checks, but went to bed after taking his pills.

And nothing.

Head in his hands, Noctis sits in front of his laptop and tries not to despair. He doesn’t understand why he’s so upset, knows it’s a little odd for him to be near tears over this, but he’s so distraught, it’s overriding his better judgment.

There’s a knock at his door but he ignores it. It’s Prompto. He’s still mad at the blond, who knocks again, and again, and again, and finally Noctis snaps.

“What?!”

Prompto opens the door with one of his trademark cheesy grins. “Dude, I have to tell you something!”

“…I don’t want to hear it, Prom, okay?”

“Yes, you do,” Prompto insists, letting himself in and taking his place on Noctis’s bed. “I know why you’re not dreaming about that guy!”

Noctis’s fingers twitch as he turns to look at Prompto, tense with apprehension. Is Prompto trying to trick him or does he really know? He gestures for the blond to speak when nothing is said.

“It’s the pills,” Prompto says simply as Noctis feels a chill run down his back. “After you left Gladio’s place, he um… He asked more questions and so I told him about the appointment and the pills.” He shifts as if he shouldn’t be telling Noctis this. “He was pretty confident that they’re the reason.”

“What?” Noctis breathes, eyes darting to the little bottle on his nightstand. “…How?”

“Gladio didn’t say,” Prompto replies, unsure if that’s what Noctis is asking. “Maybe try not taking them tonight and see if… See if that helps.” He bites his lip. “I mean, if we’re wrong, we’re wrong, but no harm in missing one dose, right?”

Noctis looks back at Prompto before he’s on his feet and hugging his friend tightly. “Thank you,” he mumbles against the blond’s neck. “I’m sorry I’ve been a jerk.”

Prompto returns the hug, albeit somewhat hesitantly, but Noctis doesn’t notice. “It’s okay, buddy,” he says. “I didn’t mean to make you mad again.”

“No, I shouldn’t have acted like that,” Noctis says, pulling back as he glares at the bottle of pills. “This whole thing has gotten me kind of crazy. It’s so bizarre…” He plans to dump the pills down the toilet if it turns out they really are the reason for his lack of dreams. “But what am I supposed to do til bedtime? It’s only eleven.”

“We could marathon a show, or a game!”

Noctis smiles at the suggestions, knowing they both could use a break from their studies and this dream mess. “That is a fucking _awesome_ idea,” he says. “Do we have enough refreshments? We’re in for a long afternoon.”

“I believe we do,” Prompto answers, feigning elegance as he waves his hand. “Besides, we can always order pizza if we get desperate.”

Grinning, the two head to the kitchen to raid it for supplies. Noct carries all the snacks he can find while Prompto grabs all the drinks from the fridge. They decide on playing one of Noctis’s beloved RPGs that is sure to take up the rest of the day.

As the game loads, Noctis looks at Prompto and smiles. “Thanks, Prom.”

“No problem, dude.”

 

* * *

 

It’s getting late when Noctis finally starts yawning. Prompto shoos him off to bed and assures the prince he’ll take care of the mess in the living room. Thanking the blond, Noctis shuffles into his room, rubbing his eyes as he flops onto his bed and squirms under the covers.

He’s eager to try and sleep without the pills, turning his back on them as he lets his thoughts drift to Ignis and reaches into his pocket for the cigarette case. It glints in the soft light coming through his window and he smiles as he closes his eyes and pictures the man from his dreams.

But when nothing happens, Noctis begins to despair. He looks at the case, squeezing it. “Please,” he whispers with a yawn. And, as if answering his call, sleep claims him.

 

When he opens his eyes, Noctis finds himself once again in the café and relief floods him. He nearly kisses the table in gratitude before noticing he’s still holding the cigarette case. “Yes!” he exclaims in quiet victory before sitting back in his chair to eagerly await Ignis.

But several minutes pass and Ignis doesn’t show.

Noctis begins to worry, trying to stay calm but he hadn’t planned for this. What would he do if Ignis doesn’t show? What if he never shows again? The prince’s blue eyes dart around the café before they fall on the table and notice a folded piece of paper under the sugar shaker.

Reaching for it, Noctis is shocked to see it’s addressed to him, his name written in neat cursive handwriting that could only be someone like Ignis's. He unfolds the note and his heart nearly breaks:

 

                _My dearest Noctis,_

_Where have you gone? It’s been so long, have you forgotten me again? I never got to say_

_my goodbyes._

_I will always treasure our time together_.

_\--Your Ignis_

 

“No…” Noctis breathes, jumping to his feet before he shoves the note in pocket and heads to the door. He has to find Ignis!

Pushing the door open, Noctis gasps in surprise at his surroundings. Although still covered in that strange film-like veneer, the prince _knows_ he isn’t in Lucis. It’s cold, the buildings beyond the film look foreign, and the air is different. He frowns in concern that he’ll get lost in this strange place, hugging himself as a chilly wind blows.

“Ignis, where are you?” he whispers.

“I’m right here, darling,” answers a voice from behind.

There’s a harsh pang of relief in his stomach as Noctis gasps and whirls around to find Ignis standing behind him. He’s dressed in dark blues today, but his eyes look haunted. He’s smiling, but something is wrong.

Noctis reaches for him, but Ignis keeps his distance. “W-what?” the prince stammers in confusion. “What’s wrong, Ignis?”

“…Where have you been, Noctis?”

“…I…I don’t _know_!” Noctis exclaims, withdrawing his hand. “I’ve been trying to come back for days, I swear!”

A realization settles onto Ignis’s face. “…You went to the doctor, didn’t you?”

“…I didn’t have a choice…”

“…And you took the pills.”

Noctis frowns. “…How’d you know they gave me pills?”

“What _else_ does a doctor do in this situation, Noct?” Ignis questions with a matching frown.

“Why wouldn’t I take them, Ignis? I needed sleep.”

“I told you that you did not need them, didn’t I?” Ignis reminds. “I tried to warn you!”

Noctis is trying to remember their last encounter, but it’s overshadowed by the strange warning the yellow-eyed man had given to him. He’d also told Noctis not to take the pills, but the prince is shoving that memory away in favor of Ignis.

“You did…” the prince recollects, head dropping forward. “I’m…I’m so _sorry_ , Ignis. I swear, I didn’t know they’d keep me from seeing you.”

“Is it too much to ask that you not take any more of them?”

“I won’t!” Noctis promises. “I’ll flush them!” He reaches out for the taller man, eyes pleading. “Please, let me touch you.”

Ignis smiles and closes the distance between them. “I’ll do you one better,” he whispers, slipping an arm around Noctis and pulling the prince flush against him. He presses their lips together and Noctis swears there’s desperation in that kiss as it deepens.

The Lucian prince whimpers as he melts against Ignis, returning the kiss, tongue desperate for that familiar taste. His reservations fade away as Ignis holds him, kisses him, hands slipping under that expensive jacket to touch the other man, _feeling_ him.

“Don’t forget me again, Noctis…” Ignis whispers as they break apart and Noctis looks up at him, confused. There’s something so familiar about this, it’s scaring him.

Before he can ask, Ignis is nuzzling him and taking Noctis’s hands in his own, hands closing around the cigarette case in surprise. “Oh? What’s this?”

“I um, accidentally stole one of your cigarettes from…” Noctis almost mentions their last visit and hesitates.

Ignis’s eyes flash in recognition as he nods. “Ah, so that’s how I managed to lose one.”

“Do you have any idea how happy it made me?”

Ignis lifts one slender eyebrow. “A cigarette made you happy, love?” he asks with a chuckle. “Well, I suppose it still doesn’t take much to please you, does it?”

Noctis lets out a laugh, gently shoving Ignis. “Shut up.”

“I’d rather not, darling.”

Noctis smiles. “…I’d rather you didn’t either.”

Ignis presses his lips to Noctis’s again. They share another long, slow, deep kiss before Noctis finally pulls away, panting softly against Ignis.

“Is this all we’ll ever be?”

“…I’m afraid I don’t have the answer to that, Noct.”

Noctis draws back to meet those kind emerald eyes. “But, you’ve had all the answers before…”

Ignis is quiet in a way Noctis doesn’t like, but he decides not to press. This is the longest they’ve spent together, and he doesn’t want to go. He doesn’t want to lose Ignis. The thought sends an aching pang through him that feels too strong to be real.

“Do you know how terrifying it is to think you’re falling in love with someone you barely know?” the prince asks, meeting Ignis’s gaze with tears in his eyes.

“Please don’t presume you’re the only one frightened here, darling,” the taller man whispers.

“You’re really good at hiding it.”

Ignis offers a sad smile, stroking Noctis’s cheek with one gloved hand. “Years of practice, love.”

They kiss one last time before Noctis wraps his arms around Ignis’s slender frame and holds him. A long moment passes before the prince’s eyes open and fall on a newspaper stand a few feet away that he hasn’t noticed before. He almost closes his eyes again before realizing he can see the papers and his gaze snaps over to the closest one.

 _GRALEA TIMES_ is emblazoned across the top. _  
_

“Noctis, don’t!”

And just like that, Ignis is gone.

 

* * *

 

Noctis is sobbing when he wakes up and he doesn’t know why. His heart is breaking, he’s hurting like he’s just lost someone he loved, and he’s wiping at his eyes futilely as the tears keep spilling.

What is going _on_? This isn’t normal!

He’s desperately trying to remember the dream, desperately trying to understand before he remembers the note and fumbles at his pocket, dropping the cigarette case when his fingers close around a piece of paper. He pulls the note free and opens it to see Ignis’s handwriting, another soft sob escaping his lips. He knows this is real, knows he couldn’t have faked this.

And then he remembers. He remembers the newspaper and knows.

Ignis is in Gralea.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

In another part of the world, Ignis gasps as he comes to and immediately cowers when he senses the dark presence behind him, clenching his teeth in preparation.

“…You really shouldn’t try to be so clever, you know,” a gritty voice drawls, cuffing the former adviser’s neck as he grips hard.

Ignis lets out a cry and doubles over, pain wracking his body that he can’t tear away from. It burns from within, it's tearing him apart. But it's worth it. It's worth it for what he accomplished.

“You were doing so well, I was thinking I wouldn’t have to punish you anymore, but all those little hints you tried to give our little Noct…” The man clicks his tongue, tightening his grip as Ignis screams. “We won’t do it again, will we?”

Ignis doesn’t answer and the man’s grip tightens impossibly further. “ _Will we_?”

Screaming in agony, Ignis is thrown to the floor and he gasps for breath as the pain subsides, fighting to pick himself up before he’s punished again. “…No, Ardyn,” he wheezes. “We…we won’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally have the plot secured. I might have to change the tags a bit lololol  
> but this is going to be a great story.  
> and all i can say is sorry about ignis.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You might need your tissues for this one.
> 
> I'm SO sorry.

Gladio’s forcing his hand not to shake as he stares at the note in his hand. Noctis is peering over his shoulder, anxiously waiting to hear the big guy’s opinion, but Gladio can’t stop staring at the familiar handwriting.

The signed name he’s known for years.

It can’t be.

“Gladdy?” Noctis is asking, shaking Gladio from his thoughts as the big man gapes and tries to mask his reaction as shock that the note is real, not because of who it’s from.

“You, uh…” Gladio swallows and hands the note back to Noctis. “You definitely didn’t write it, that’s for sure.”

“You’re sure? How can you be sure?”

“Have you _seen_ your handwriting, Noct?” It’s so easy to lie, but Noctis is scowling and clearly too distracted by this whole situation to notice Gladio’s unease for what it really is.

A silence falls between them, interrupted only by the faint sounds of Nyx’s snoring from the back room. Gladio’s dressed in an old t-shirt with his hair pulled back in a bun, pants hanging loose around his waist. He’d been in the middle of “cleaning” when Noctis had called him. He isn’t a child, he knows they’d been fucking, but Gladio was interested in his note regardless and invited him over.

“Gladio, there’s something else…” Noctis says softly as he carefully folds the note back up and places it in the cigarette case. It’s just the right size for safekeeping both the cigarette and the note.

Gladio lifts an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“I think I know where Ignis is…”

The Crowngsuard stiffens before he grabs Noctis’s shoulders. “What? _Where_?”

Confused by his friend’s demeanor, Noctis squirms slightly. “I saw a newspaper stand,” he tries to explain. “I think he’s in Gralea.”

Gladio immediately lets go. “…You’re sure?”

Noctis frowns, aware something is up now. “What’s wrong with you? What’d I say?”

“Noctis, you heard yourself right?” Gladio avoids the prince’s gaze. “You heard yourself say he’s in _Niflheim_?”

“…Yeah, so?”

Gladio’s gaze snaps back to Noctis, stunned by the prince’s reaction but relieved to have an out. “Are you not the prince of Lucis?” he demands, rising to his full height to tower over the shorter prince. “The _sworn enemy_ of Niflheim?”

Noctis can’t help a laugh as he steps back from Gladio. “Dude, I didn’t think you were the type to have prejudices.”

Gladio slaps a hand to his face. “That…that is _so_ not my point, princess,” he growls. Noctis could be really _thick_ sometimes. “I’m sayin’ this might… This might not be the innocent love story you’re turnin’ it into.”

Noctis frowns and takes another step back. “…You’re wrong,” he says quietly, his happiness vanishing almost as quickly as it had come. “You haven’t seen him. You haven’t seen the way he looks at me.”

 _Yes, I have_.

The Shield is quiet. “I don’t have to, Noct,” he sighs. “…Look, I’m not sayin’ I’m _right_. I’m just sayin’ be careful.” He doesn’t know what else he can say.

But Noctis is turning and running out the door, upset. And Gladio can’t stop him. He rushes to the door after the prince, but opts to pull out his phone instead.

The line rings twice before the king answers. “Sir, we’ve got a problem.”

 

* * *

 

 

Noctis is running back to his apartment, tears in his eyes. He doesn’t understand why he’s so upset, why he’s being so emotional, so irrational? Why tell him that this isn’t what it seems? He isn’t imagining the way Ignis feels about him. He isn’t imagining the love in those touches and kisses.

Is he?

He’s halfway back to his apartment when he decides he really doesn’t want to go there. Prompto hadn’t been there when he’d woken up, so the blond hasn’t heard the good news yet. But after the way the conversation with Gladio has gone, Noctis isn’t feeling as eager to share the information anymore. The big man’s comments are weighing on the Lucian prince’s heart. He’s worried Gladio is right, worried there really is something more going on than meets the eye.

And it crushes him. He doesn’t want to believe it. Is he going crazy?

The sound of a car pulling up behind him startles him back into reality. He turns and sees his father’s car pulling up, but the yellow-eyed man is the one stepping out. “Your Highness,” he greets with a pompous flourish, bowing. “Your father sent me to check on you.”

Noctis frowns. “Who _are_ you?” he demands, angry. “I don’t know you. My dad wouldn’t send someone I don’t know.”

The man feigns offense, pressing a hand to his chest beneath his scarf. “I told you before, Highness. Things have changed at the Citadel. You’re never around these days. How could you possibly know?” He grins then, toothily. “Are you sleeping better since last we spoke?”

Noctis tenses, but nods. “Yeah,” he says. “They gave me pills.”

The man’s grin vanishes and he’s snarling as he closes the space between himself and the prince in an instant. His face has gone pale and is stained black like he's diseased. “ _I told you, you don’t need the pills!_ ” he growls as Noctis stumbles back onto the ground and scrambles away. But then the man seems to remember himself and steps back with a soft chuckle. “Be a dear and throw them away, would you?”

Noctis’s phone is in his hands, breath coming in frightened gasps as he stares up at the stranger. “Who are you?” he demands again, voice shaking as he prepares to summon his Crownsguard. His other hand twitching for the Armiger.

The man just laughs and fades to nothing in front of Noctis, the car included, until all that's left is his yellow eyes and echoing laughter around them.

“ _Sweet dreams, Noctis_.”

 

* * *

 

 

Noctis doesn’t go anywhere alone after that incident. He calls Prompto and begs the blond to come get him.

Prompto finds him curled in a ball in the bushes off the sidewalk. Noctis is clearly terrified, but he won’t say what happened and Prompto doesn’t force him. He holds the prince close and walks with him back to the apartment. He may not be an official Crownsguard yet, but that day is coming soon.

Once they’re in the safety of the apartment, Prompto brings Noctis to the couch and holds him until the prince is ready to talk. The prince decides to tell his best friend because he trusts him. He doesn’t want Gladio to know. He doesn’t want his dad to know.

So he tells Prompto about the strange purple-haired, yellow-eyed man.

“Dude, _what_?”

Noctis fidgets with the hem of his jacket, shaking his head in confusion. “I don’t know,” he whispers. “I thought it was my brain doing something stupid at first, because I was so sleep-deprived. I thought I was just hallucinating.” He hugs his knees to his chest. “I wasn’t hallucinating today.”

“Don’t worry, buddy,” Prompto assures, squeezing Noctis’s shoulders with his arm. “Prompto’s on the case. I’ll look into this, okay?” He bites his lip. “But, um, will you promise to let me go to your dad, or even Cor, if I find something serious?”

Noctis looks up with a frown, but thinks about it and finally nods. He doesn’t want his dad to know, he’s not even sure why, but ultimately, he decides the potential for danger is real.

He just wishes he _understood_.

Prompto stays at his side as long as he needs before their stomachs growl in unison and eases the tension between them. The blond is laughing as he pulls away from Noctis and tilts his head. “Should I order pizza?”

Noctis lets out a soft laugh and nods, watching as Prompto gets up to make the call before he turns on the TV and tries to forget about his day.

 

* * *

 

  

“Hello, sleeping beauty,”  a familiar silken voice caresses his ear, and Noctis jerks awake in surprise before his eyes find Ignis and he relaxes.

“Ignis!” he breathes, throwing his arms around the well-dressed man and holding him tightly. He feels the other man return the embrace and melts against him. “I missed you.”

Ignis’s arms tighten around Noctis and there’s a moment before he speaks. “…You’re back so soon,” he observes, voices sounding choked for a brief second.

“…I wanted to see you,” Noctis insists. “I didn’t take the pills.” He smiles in earnest and Ignis returns it before leaning in and kissing him softly.

“Ignis,” the prince breathes as he pulls back. “…Why are we always here? In the café?”

Ignis shakes his head. “I didn’t choose this place, darling,” he replies, “but I do enjoy my coffee.”

“What else?”

Ignis tilts his head at the question. “Hm?”

“What else do you enjoy?”

There’s pain in Ignis’s eyes at those words, but it’s gone almost as quick as it shows. Noctis isn’t even sure he’s seen it. “I don’t live very far from here,” Ignis is saying, smiling at the young prince as he takes his hand and stands. “Would you like to see it?”

Noctis nods eagerly and rises to his feet before Ignis guides him out of the café. Although their surroundings are still covered in a hazy film, he can still see the foreign buildings beyond. His gaze shifts back to Ignis, noting how the other man is as clear as day and he wonders why that is. All he knows for certain is that this isn’t a dream. He can’t say for certain, but things just don’t add up.

When they first met, their time together had been short, Noctis couldn’t talk about time. He recalls the way Ignis controlled the conversation, making sure they don’t mention certain things, or go into too much detail. He isn’t behaving that way anymore. They’re going to an actual destination like it exists and Noctis can’t help but feel like he’s really in Gralea.

He wants to ask Ignis why. But he knows he can’t.

“How much further?” he asks instead, braving the details.

Ignis smiles back at him. “Just a couple blocks, darling,” he assures, turning a corner and approaching a tall building on the busy street. It comes into focus through the film and now Noctis can clearly see the high-end apartment building.

“This is where you live?”

“Mhm,” Ignis confirms as they pass a hazy doorman and approach the elevators.

Noctis is starting to worry Gladio is right. Something is wrong. Ignis might not be the bad guy, but something about this whole situation doesn’t sit well with the prince anymore.

He forgets Ignis is holding his hand until a squeeze brings him back into focus. He finds Ignis watching him, genuine concern on his face. “I lost you there for a moment,” he says, tilting his head.

Noctis feels guilty, but the doors open and instead of a hall, they’re entering the apartment directly from the elevator. He gawks when he realizes the whole _floor_ belongs to Ignis. As royalty, he’s used to a lavish home life, but just who is Ignis?

“You…you _live_ here?”

Ignis nods. “I, ah, work for a very important man,” he explains. “He pays for all this in exchange for my services.”

Noctis lifts an eyebrow, but can’t help taking another look around the room. The artwork is beautiful, familiar even, but before he can take a closer look, Ignis is guiding him down a hall to their left, opening a door to the bedroom and…

…Noctis stops in the doorway. He looks around and knows he’s been here before. His heart clenches and his head his hurting, and he’s looking to Ignis for answers. The strange man is smiling sadly, knowingly, but he says nothing.

After a moment, Ignis pulls him close by the hand and kisses the prince softly, and Noctis knows he’s kissed these lips before. Outside of the dreams.

But how?

He doesn’t know, and he stops trying to figure it out. He feels something for Ignis he doesn’t understand, but it’s real and Ignis is kissing him like he knows something he can’t say and Noctis lets him. He releases Ignis’s hand to hold the man’s face, deepening the kiss as Ignis scoops him up and presses him back against the door with a groan.

Noctis is wrapping his legs around that slim waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world, dragging his tongue over Ignis’s lips, tasting him, wanting him. He knows he’s done this before. He wants to do it again, desire’s pooling in his stomach.

Ignis presses their hips together, showing Noctis that he feels the same, and moves to create a delicious friction between them. Noctis arches off the door and Ignis is holding him steady as he kisses down the prince’s neck, desperate, needy, marking him in a way that tells Noctis he’s been marked by Ignis before.

The young prince grinds into Ignis, panting as his legs tighten around that slim frame and fingers dig into firm shoulders.

Ignis carries Noctis away from the door as they share heated breaths and deposits him on the bed, but his desire seems to fizzle as he crawls over Noctis and glances over his shoulder like someone is watching them. He seems hesitant now, reluctant, nervous, and Noctis worries he’d imagined the familiarity and rushed this.

“Iggy?” he breathes before he can help it, unsure where the nickname came from.

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. Ignis’s smooth veneer breaks and he’s crying.

“…oh, Ignis, I’m sorry,” Noctis is apologizing, reaching to touch the other man’s face. “Is… Do you not like to be called that? Are we moving too fast?”

That makes it worse. “I cannot do this…” the normally well-composed man sobs before he suddenly cries out in pain and arches off Noctis like he’s been grabbed. “ _LET ME GO!”_

He erupts in a cloud of black mist and fire, vanishing with a tortured scream, and Noctis is screaming in terror as laughter echoes around him.

 

* * *

 

Noctis wakes up still screaming and arms are holding him down as he flails in sheer panic. All he sees is black and fire and Ignis burning in front of him, over and over and _over_.

“ _NOCT_!” Gladio’s voice is shouting through his fear and Noctis wrenches his eyes open to find the big man over him, looking terrified at what he’s just witnessed.

The prince is panicking as he looks past his friend, shocked to find himself in his bedroom at the Citadel. Prompto’s cowering behind Gladio, pale and shaking.

Noctis is drenched in sweat and he feels sick to his stomach, but manages to keep himself from acting on that feeling. He’s struggling to catch his breath, bordering on hyperventilation.

Gladio’s putting a cloth on his head, trying not to let the way his hand shakes deter him from caring for the prince.

“What…?” Noctis manages but he’s hurting everywhere. “…What’s going on? How’d I get here?”

“You were screaming,” Prompto answers in a shaky voice, refusing to come out from behind Gladio. “I couldn’t wake you up. You were _screaming_ …” He hugs himself. “I called Gladio.”

“And I called your dad,” Gladio says. “We brought you here. I had called him after you came to my place earlier. He was gonna come get you first thing in the morning and explain things, but…” He looks to the nightstand where the cigarette case is resting next to Noct’s bottle of pills. “It’s time for you to come to terms with the truth.”

Noctis’s eyes narrow and he draws in an unsteady breath. “…What are you talking about?”

“Ignis is _dead_!” Prompto shouts before he can help himself, stepping out from behind Gladio, trembling all over.

Noctis flinches at the shout, feels himself shaking. “...W-what?” His vision is suddenly filled with the image of Ignis being consumed by the dark flame and miasma and he’s leaning away from Gladio to throw up on the other side of his bed. He heaves, but nothing comes out and he’s crying when he feels a big hand rubbing his back.

“There was an accident,” the big guy is saying as Noctis shudders and listens. “A few months ago. Do you remember?”

The prince turns to look at Gladio, and he’s remembering vaguely being in the hospital, all banged up. It’s so _vague_ and distant, like a bad dream he’s forgotten. “…I remember the hospital,” he recalls as Gladio and Prompto share a look. “But...”

“…But not what happened?”

Noctis shakes his head. He realizes the past few months before his insomnia started are a dark blur and he's frightened that he somehow never noticed before.

“…Damn it,” Gladio grits, beating the mattress with one large fist as he closes his eyes and takes a breath. “You and Iggy were in an accident. In the _Regalia_.” He’s gritting his teeth and trying not to cry. He misses Ignis enough for the both of them. “…You were thrown from the car, but Ignis…” He closes his eyes. “…They couldn’t find him. The Firaga spell destroyed everything.”

A searing pain lances through Noctis’s head, and he presses a hand to his temple, crying out as memories flash in his vision. All he sees is fire, all he hears is screaming. Gladio’s holding his shoulder, trying to comfort him, but the pain is too much.

“…When you came to, you didn’t remember anything,” Prompto says, voice choked as he fails to keep the emotion from his voice. “You didn’t even remember Iggy, at all. The doctors just… They just figured your brain was just trying to protect itself with selective amnesia. So…so we let sleeping dogs lie.”

Noctis is shaking his head through the pain, refusing to accept what he’s hearing, refusing to believe. “No,” he hisses through his teeth. “No, you…you saw the note, you saw the cigarette. He’s _real_.”

“Noct…” Gladio says, tight with unease. “…Prompto told us about the yellow-eyed man you saw.”

Noctis looks up in confusion, hand still pressed to his temple as his gaze seeks Prompto, but the blond won’t look at him.

“He has a name,” another voice speaks up and Noctis wonders where his father had been this whole time. “Ardyn. Ardyn Izunia. The _Accursed_.”

Noctis doesn’t want to hear anymore. He can’t. He’s laying back in his bed and curling on his side. He knows that name. _Everyone_ knows that name.

“We thought your insomnia to be a symptom,” Regis continues as he approaches the bed, the sound of his cane striking the floor filling the silence. “Your brain struggling to deal with the accident it couldn’t remember, struggling to accept the loss of someone you loved who was not even a memory.”

Pain lances through Noctis’s heart, but he doesn’t move. He’s remembering and it hurts everywhere. In his head, in his heart, in his stomach.

 

_He’s in the passenger’s seat, the top is down, the wind is blowing through his hair. Ignis is taking him somewhere special, their hands are threaded between them._

_Suddenly, there’s a deafening roar, fire, an explosion. He hears Ignis screaming, hears the adviser calling for him, but he’s flying through the air. And when he lands, his world goes dark_.

 

“…Prompto was the one to notify me that you were having dreams,” Regis is explaining, unaware of Noctis’s memory coming back as he stands beside Gladio and carefully lowers himself onto the bed beside his son. “Of the book in the library, Niflheim’s research.” He reaches to stroke Noctis’s hair and his overprotective behavior over these past few months is suddenly making sense to the prince.

He realizes his dislike of doctors is a recent thing. That Prompto’s Mother Hen-ing over him has a cause. He understands why he hasn’t seen Gladio in months. The accident destroyed more than just his memory, it took more than just Ignis. It broke them all apart and they couldn’t figure out how to fit back together.

Tears are raining down Noctis’s face. _How could he have forgotten_?

“Enough.”

Regis’s face hardens, hand stilling in Noctis’s hair. “What?”

“I said enough.”

“There is more, and you will hear it,” Regis says, tone stern with authority.

“ _I said enough!_ ” Noctis shouts, sobbing as he curls on his side and holds his stomach. He doesn’t know when they leave him, but he knows they’re outside his door as he cries. He doesn’t want to believe them, he _can’t_ believe him. He’s confused and overwhelmed and emotional, but he _knows_ Ignis is real.

He hiccups when he realizes that’s not the issue anymore. Ignis _was_ real. _IS_ real. Noctis can’t bring himself to believe he’s dead.

“Oh, what a shame,” a familiar voice drawls. “You didn’t even let them get to the best part!”

Noctis flies upright in his bed and spots the dark shadow on the balcony. Even in shadow, he sees the hat, wild hair, flowing coat and he swallows back a scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I kind of information dumped, so sorry <3  
> that's not the end of it, so don't worry if that doesn't answer your questions.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ardyn taunts noct some more.  
> prompto does a thing.  
> gladio is super fucking angsty.  
> nyx is the only level-headed idiot around.

Ardyn creeps forward, emerging from the shadows with a grin on his pale, diseased face. Noctis is frozen where he sits and he’s not entirely sure if it’s his imagination or if Ardyn has somehow bound him. Each second he wastes thinking brings Ardyn closer, and he’s terrified.

But the prince at least manages to find his voice. “What do you _want_?” he asks with a shuddering breath, tears still staining his cheeks. “You’ve had your fun. _What do you want with me?!_ ”

“Oh, the game is far from over,” Ardyn contests with a wag of his finger. “So much left to do!”

Noctis wipes angrily at his face, shaking his head. “It’s over!” he shouts. “I know he’s dead!”

“Is he?” Ardyn questions, laughing which sends shivers down Noctis’s spine. The sound makes the prince’s skin crawl. “No, no my dear _Noct_ , your Ignis is very much alive.”

For a moment, Noctis freezes. For a moment, his heart stops. For a moment…he _believes_. “…Shut up,” he whispers, burying his face in his hands. The loss feels too recent, too new. His heart won’t stop breaking.

“Oh, _Noct_ ,” Ardyn says, using the nickname again on purpose. “Why would I lie?”

Noctis tenses at the name, grits his teeth at the question. He doesn’t know Ardyn’s end game, and he can’t answer that question. But he knows a trap when he hears one. “Leave me _alone_.”

“Do you remember how delicious Iggy tastes?” Ardyn taunts, and suddenly Noctis is screaming in rage, sword in hand summoned from the Armiger as he lunges at Ardyn.

But the blade passes harmlessly through Ardyn’s illusion and the _Accursed_ grins. “Mm, at this rate, you’ll never taste him again,” he says with a click of his tongue. “Such a shame. Ah well, more for me. He’ll be so disappointed to hear you’ve given up on him.”

And with that, Ardyn vanishes and leaves Noctis as a sobbing mess on his knees. He doesn’t know who to believe, doesn’t know what Ardyn wants. He’s terrified he’s going crazy.

The door to his room flies open and Prompto tumbles in, spotting the prince and running to him. “Noct!” he falls to his knees beside his friend, wrapping his arms around Noctis as the other man cries. “I heard shouting, I couldn’t get the door open…”

But Noctis doesn’t answer. He just cries until he can’t anymore.

 

* * *

 

 

Prompto stays until Noctis takes the pills so he can sleep. He still doesn’t know why they help, but starts to understand they’re there for a reason. Ardyn had tried to stop him from taking them, so did Ignis, and he knows that it’s related to this whole situation somehow.

He just isn’t sure _how_ , but he plans to find out.

When he wakes in the morning, he wants to be alone. He takes his breakfast in his room, refuses visits, and sits on his balcony, curled up in his chair as he remembers. He does nothing but remember. He pushes through the haze and the hurt and thinks of Iggy, thinks about when they first met, about when he decided he was in love with the tall, buttoned-up boy, about their first kiss.

It’s in the gardens, behind the bushes so no one can see them. It became their secret meeting place. Though Noctis spoils it when he gives Ignis his first blowjob there and nearly gets them caught once they learn how quiet Ignis _isn’t_.

Noctis smiles against his fingers at the memory, but part of him is aching inside. The memories are coming back like a tidal wave he can’t stop.

He remembers their first time. Ignis had wanted it to be all romantic, borderline cheesy, with flowers and wine and a bed. But Noctis tricked his boyfriend by asking Ignis to take him out of the city so they can watch the stars from an overlook point.

And that’s how Noctis lost his virginity in the backseat of the _Regalia._

Ignis made him swear not to tell the others, even though he’s the one that did the fucking.

Noctis can’t forget the way it felt to have Ignis inside him, completing him. He feels empty in more ways than one knowing he starts considering he may never know that sort of completion again.

The prince closes his eyes. He’s aroused, but it _hurts_. He wants to touch himself, remember the way Ignis pleased him, but he’s bombarded with the memories of Ignis erupting in flames as they twist with the memories of Ignis filling him.

But then, Noctis remembers the crash and his arousal vanishes. The memory’s clear but it’s also in pieces and he knows that’s partly because of his injury. He can barely feel the scar under his hair, but the worst and most confusing part is that, somehow, he remembers forgetting Ignis. He remembers _not_ remembering.

Noctis wipes a tear away and shuts his brain off as best he can, shaking his head in disbelief. Ignis _can’t_ be dead. Noctis knows how it looks. Of course Ardyn would dangle his dead lover in his face with promises of “no, he’s not dead!”, but the _Accursed_ is no stranger to him. He knows the man’s story well, knows what he is doomed to bring.

Ardyn has no humanity left in him. He couldn’t have pretended to be Ignis, not with what Noctis saw in those emerald eyes, and in those kisses. Ardyn wouldn’t know love if it beat him in his ugly face and choked the life out of him.

Noctis knows he has most of the puzzle. But the puzzle is becoming some sort of backwards hydra. For every piece they gain, the puzzle grows in size and now they need more pieces.

But Noctis knows the answers are coming. He knows Ardyn won’t leave him alone, and he knows it’s only a matter of time before he’s forced into action. And at the end of the day, his love for Ignis has been rekindled in a way that removes any doubt from Noctis’s mind.

He knows Ignis is alive. And Noctis will burn Gralea to the ground if it means bringing Ignis home.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s late when Noctis hears someone come into his room. He’s had time to process, time to come to terms with what he believes is the truth, time to swallow the trauma he experienced in his dreams. He’s still angry, still terrified, but he’s filled with a sense of determination he can’t shake.

This is far from over.

When he turns to see who’s in his room, he’s surprised to see Prompto with a bundle in his arms. The blond looks nervous, edgy. If someone jumped out and shouted, Noctis isn’t too sure Prompto would survive.

“…Prom?” he asks softly. “You okay?”

The question seems to ease Prompto’s nerves somewhat. “…A-am _I_ okay? Dude, I should be asking _you_ that!”

Noctis smiles a little as he moves to sit down on the edge of his bed, patting the spot next to him. “…Yeah, I know,” he says, glancing up at his friend. “What’s that?” He nods at the bundle.

Prompto looks down like he’s forgotten he’s carrying it, jumping a little before he quickly moves to sit beside the prince. “A gift, kinda.” He unfolds the cloth concealing the object within, and Noctis realizes it’s a photo album.

His eyes narrow in confusion before he gives a soft gasp and a hand is gripping Prompto’s wrist. “…Are these…?”

Prompto eyes Noctis’s guiltily. “…All the pictures I took of Iggy,” he confirms. “…We…” He looks away. “They made me hide them… It was like we were all afraid, man. Afraid of what would happen if you remembered.” His gaze returns to the album. “It’s like we didn’t even consider the danger of letting you stay in the dark.”

Noctis frowns, but he knows this isn’t Prompto’s fault. He can find someone to be mad at later, if it’s even worth it. “…May I?” he asks, reaching for the album.

Prompto jumps a little again. “Oh, y-yeah!” he exclaims, handing it to Noctis anxiously and watching as the prince opens it to look at what it contains.

The first picture on the first page is enough to have Noctis’s hands trembling. It’s a picture of the four of them standing around the _Regalia_ , back when Regis had first gifted Noctis with the car for his birthday. He turns the page and there’s one Prompto managed to sneak of Ignis and Noctis sleeping mid-cuddle.

Noctis’s fingers reach to touch the picture, stroking the outline of Ignis’s body before he looks up at Prompto, closing the album and bringing it to his chest. “…Thank you,” he says as he hugs the album against himself. He plans to pore over every picture later. “I needed this.”

Prompto’s demeanor brightens a little and he nods. “Y-Yeah, dude, of course!” he exclaims, offering a smile as he looks at Noctis.

Noctis smiles back, meeting the blond’s gaze and seeing something there that he doesn’t understand. “Prom?”

And then Prompto is kissing him, pressing close with a frightened need that throws Noctis for a loop. He nearly drops the album, but holds it with one hand while the other pushes Prompto back. They stare at each other for a long moment, and then Prompto is scrambling to his feet and out the door before Noctis can form words.

He’s far from being over Ignis, still convinced the man isn’t even dead, but the loneliness and despair he’s feeling almost went away when Prompto kissed him. He’d suspected these past few months, wondered what was holding the blond back, and now he knows.

But Noctis pushes that train of thought away and looks back at the album. He wonders if Prompto is the push he needs to move on and accept the reality they all insist he’s in, where Ignis is dead and Ardyn is just using his memory to fuck with Noctis for reasons the prince has yet to determine.

One kiss and everything Noctis spent the day building up crumbles apart.

Noctis is looking back at the nightstand where the cigarette case still rests, next to his bottle of pills. He sets the album down and gets up, grabbing the case to open it before sitting back down as he sniffs the cigarette and unfolds the note.

Despite the proof in his hands, despite everything he’s seen and felt and touched, Noctis begins to doubt. He’s not proud of it, not one bit, but he knows that his friends, his father, they’re not _wrong_. He doesn’t know what Ardyn is capable of. He doesn’t know how much Ardyn has actually done and how much the _Accursed_ left up to the prince’s imagination to spin into reality.

But Noctis does know one thing. He has to go back and find out for himself if Ignis is real. It’s the only way.

He puts the cigarette case up and pushes the pill bottle away before getting in bed, hoping he knows what he’s doing as he closes his eyes and tries to dream.

 

* * *

 

 

Gladio hasn’t been this much of a wreck since the day this all started. He remembers being up at the Citadel, training new recruits when the reports come flying in of the accident. He remembers arriving on the scene, spotting what little is left of the _Regalia_ and just _losing_ it.

Even though Noctis survived – and Gladio could not have been more relieved to know that – Ignis was _gone_. Just like that.

The Firaga spell had been so intense, the _Regalia_ is little more than an ashen shell by the time it’s all over.

They don’t know who’s responsible, they don’t know why.

Nothing’s been the same since. The four of them had been inseparable. But Ignis’s death is the only thing that scatters them across the wind.

Gladio can’t bring himself to be around Noctis for a long time, but the prince is so out of it for the first month, that it doesn’t seem to faze him. Prompto gives Gladio _hell_ for abandoning Noct, and Gladio knows he’s right, but he can’t help blaming Noctis.

He knows he’s wrong, he _knows_ , but blaming someone is the only thing that gives him control. It’s all he has. He’s spiraling out of control the longer he insists on blaming Noctis, instead of dealing with the reality of the brutal attack…

Nyx is the only thing that saved him.

He’s the anchor that keeps Gladio from going over the edge, and even when the worst is over and Gladio knows he’s going to make it, Nyx doesn’t leave.

Gladio still loves Noctis, will still give his life for the prince without a second thought – of course he would, he made the oath, he’s the kid’s Shield.

But Gladio tells Nyx one night in the privacy of their bedroom, that he loves Nyx more than his love for the prince.

Of course, Nyx made a face, but he never really was one for sappy stuff. Gladio could see it in his eyes, though. It got through to the other man.

 

He doesn’t know how Nyx can help him now.

Gladio knows that Noctis has been tricked, that Noctis is struggling to come to terms with that _and_ has to freshly deal with the loss of something that happened months ago, but Gladio is struggling too. He knows Ardyn’s story, knows the man has tricks up his sleeves, but that note…

…Gladio has known Ignis longer than Noctis. He _believed_ that note was real despite his brain screaming at him to be realistic.

But it’s bugging him. He knows Ardyn isn’t human anymore, and Noctis was falling for the Ignis in his dreams. He was giddy and happy and Gladio just can’t believe Ardyn is capable of something like that. It doesn’t make sense.

He refuses to believe Ignis isn’t dead, refuses to believe this isn’t a trick. It’s foolish and desperate and Gladio _knows it_. He refuses to be naïve.

 

The couch dips and Gladio is startled from his thoughts. He looks to the side and Nyx is there, staring at him in worry. “I heard,” is all he says.

Gladio crumbles just a bit, and a silence passes between them, but Nyx eventually reaches with one hand and guides Gladio’s chin with a gentle grip to look at him.

“Gladio, I need you to stop moping and _think_ ,” Nyx orders, surprising the Shield. He was hoping Nyx would comfort him, be there for him, but he wasn’t expecting that. “You know this is the Dreamscape. You know what’s at stake here. Tell me why you’re ignoring the biggest clue in this whole damned situation.”

Gladio tenses in frustration, jerking his chin away. “Nyx, just…just _tell_ me. I’m in no mood for games right now.”

“Or for the love of…” Nyx mutters before he smacks Gladio’s cheek softly and earns himself a glare. “Hey, big guy, correct me if I’m wrong about this, Prompto’s the one who filled me in, so I’m still processing all this, but Ignis never smoked, right?”

Gladio shakes his head.

“So, why would he have cigarettes?”

“ _That’s_ your clue?” Gladio snaps. “Nyx, Ignis is _dead_. This Ignis in Noct’s dream isn’t fucking real—”

“—Bear with me and pretend he is!” Nyx demands. “Why would Ardyn, if you really think he’s the one pretending to be Ignis, have them if Ignis never smoked? Why mess up over such a stupid detail after all the trouble to convince Noct, us, anyone, that he’s Ignis? It’s not about Noctis not being able to remember, he’s bringing the cigarette back to show us, and _we_ remember. So why would _Ignis_ have them?” He sees the wheels turning in Gladio’s head and he smiles a little, waiting.

“Iggy…” the big guy is saying, thinking. “…He never did anything without a reason.” His eyes dart back and forth for a moment as he realizes. “If he’s real, if he’s alive, then…he _wanted_ Noctis to find the cigarette.” His eyes narrow. “But _why_?”

Nyx offers a smile and reaches to guide Gladio’s chin to look at him once again. “I would bet everything I have that if we go get that cigarette and open it up, we’ll get our answer.”

Gladio crushes his lips against Nyx’s and pins him back against the couch. “You,” he growls, “are a _fucking_ genius.”

“And you,” Nyx retorts, trying to push Gladio off him and failing, “are a thick-headed asshole. Get off, you can thank me later if I’m right.”

Gladio tries not to get his hopes up as he gets off Nyx and scrambles to get cleaned up and dressed. If Ignis has been alive all this time, he’d feel like the biggest asshole in the world for not even considering the possibility. But he doesn’t want to give in to that childish naivety, that foolish hope, that Ignis is _alive_.

Not to mention, the guilt that would come from letting Noctis down by refusing to believe him.

But this is his chance for redemption. His chance to prove the truth with something real that they actually have.

He just hopes it’s not too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i apologize this one is a little on the short side and might not be up to par.  
> i'm so fucking tired and have been staring at excel spreadsheets all day.  
> i promise the next chapter will have answers and ~*action*~  
> please bear with me.  
>  ~~also i'm sorry i'm making you wait so long for smut~~
> 
> p.s. i think this story is gonna cap around ten chapters, not sure yet.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they finally learn what's going on.

Noctis hasn’t fallen asleep yet, is barely dozing, when the door to his room flies open. He’s immediately sitting up, heart racing before he spots Gladio and Nyx running into his room.

“What the _hell_ , Gladio?” the prince is demanding, watching the big guy run to his nightstand once Nyx turns on the lights and looks at Noctis. “Nyx?”

“Sorry, Highness,” he’s apologizing as he gives Gladio a look. “Gladio’s an act-first-think-later kinda guy, I forgot.”

Noctis is looking back at Gladio as the man picks up the cigarette case and opens it, and Nyx gives the prince an apologetic look as he takes the cigarette Gladio is handing him and moves to the nightstand to lay it flat. They all watch as he searches the slim stick for the place the paper wraps over itself, and then a knife’s in his hand and he’s cutting the cigarette open with exact precision.

A tense moment passes between Nyx and Gladio. Noctis is still waiting for someone to tell him what the hell is going on, but even his eyes are fixed on the cigarette as Nyx carefully unwraps it and dumps out the tobacco leaves…

…and reveals the message within.

Gladio starts cursing and doesn’t stop cursing as Nyx hands him the cigarette paper, the latter man looking a little shaken to have actually been _right_.

“What?” Noctis is exclaiming, leaning to try and see what they’re looking at.

Gladio holds the paper taut and squints as he tries to read the faded hand-written message out loud:

_“Daft lily—_

_Noctis is in danger – he must stay behind Wall. ‘Project Somnis’ in full effect. Facility in central Gralea must be destroyed._

_—Specs”_

The Shield sits down _hard_ on Noctis’s bed as Nyx takes the paper to read over it, glancing at Noctis before handing it to the prince. “When Prompto told me what happened, the cigarette part stuck out like a sore thumb to me,” he tries to explain as Noctis reads the message. “Gladio here confirmed my suspicions, Ignis _wanted_ you to take it.”

“Noct,” Gladio is trying to say, looking at his friend, his prince. “…I’m sorry. I’m really fucking sorry.”

Noctis hesitates, worried some game is being played on him, worried that maybe he’s dreaming about being right. But Gladio grabs him in one big arm and yanks him into a hug, and the big guy is crying. “I’m sorry,” he’s saying again and Noctis starts to understand.

Gladio is sorry for more than just not believing him.

The prince returns the hug, but he’s angry, and he’s still confused. He pulls back, unable to help the look he gives Gladio before he’s turning to Nyx. “…You need to tell me what’s going on,” he says. “What does this note mean? Daft lily? Project Somnis?”

“I’m ‘daft lily’,” Gladio mutters, raising his hand as he makes a face. “It’s…” he sighs, apparently embarrassed. “It’s Ignis’s personal codename for me, back when we first met. He thought I was stupid, knew I shared a name with the flower, so he called me ‘daft lily bastard’ for the longest fucking time.” He glances at Noctis, smiling a little. “…No one else knew that but the two of us.”

Noctis’s eyes fall back down on the small paper in his hands, knowing the implication of those words. “…And Project Somnis?”

“It’s a long story,” Gladio replies. “One we’ll need your dad for.” He looks at Noctis and reaches to clasp his shoulder. “We’re getting Iggy back, Noct. I swear to you.” He rises to his feet and looks to Nyx. “We’re gonna stop Ardyn.”

Noctis feels the weight easing off his shoulders, glancing up at Gladio and Nyx. He’s _not_ crazy, Ignis _is_ alive, and his friends believe him. He was right all along.

The answers are coming.

Noctis is ready.

 

* * *

 

 

Dark laughter slides in his ears like a vile, _wet_ thing and he shivers awake on the cold floor. His eyes take a while to focus, but he sees the figure approaching him and tries to move away, but he’s sapped of strength.

He has nothing left.

Ardyn hovers over him and Ignis remembers he can’t focus because Ardyn broke his glasses.

“Oh, you poor thing,” the _Accursed_ coos mockingly, “I have some news that will just break your _heart_.”

Ignis doesn’t want to hear, doesn’t want to know. He can’t trust _anything_ Ardyn says, but there’s always truth in the man’s lies, infuriating the adviser beyond belief with his games. He forces himself to open his eyes and look up at his captor, blurry or not.

“Our little pretend prince was so horrified by what he witnessed – you burning alive that is – he almost didn’t wake up!” Ardyn advises with sickening glee. “’Tis a shame, but when he did, your _best_ friends were quick to tell him of your demise. It was quite the show! He even started to _remember_.”

Ignis can’t lie, can’t deny those words hurt. To know his friends think him dead, that _Noctis_ might now think him dead… It’s a punch to the gut he can’t recover from at first, but then he focuses on the last thing Ardyn says and it feels like a light is exploding from his chest.

Noctis was _remembering._

Ignis’s face softens before he can help it and he closes his eyes to try and hide the rest of his emotions. It had worked. He’d risked so much, but it had _worked_. He isn’t even sure if Ardyn realizes he’s been played. The man is behaving like this is all going according to plan, but that ship sailed a long time ago once Ignis put his own agenda in the works.

The adviser knows, especially as a tactician, to always be prepared for the unexpected. But Ardyn _is_ the unexpected and Ignis has never faced a bigger challenge than he has being the man’s prisoner.

Noctis wasn’t _supposed_ to remember. Ignis was to lure him to Gralea under all these false pretenses, relying on Noctis’s erased memory. Ignis planned to wait to start fighting back against Ardyn, but he knew… If Noctis was to have any chance, Ignis had to do something _now_.

“Look at you,” Ardyn spits, kicking Ignis with a growl of frustration and breaking the man from his thoughts. “You just had to start being difficult. It’s not even fun to look at you anymore.”

Ignis rolls with the kick, trying to absorb the blow, but Ardyn is frustratingly unpredictable. Sure enough, as he rolls away, Ardyn is suddenly on top of him, straddling his back with another dark chuckle as he takes a fistful of Ignis’s hair and yanks his head back.

“You should have _seen_ how angry he got once he learned I’ve tasted you,” Arydn breathes wetly in Ignis’s ear, breath heavy. “It was _glorious_.”

Ignis tries not to listen, tries not to give in to what Ardyn is trying to tell him. He tries not to react at all. And just as Ignis begins to think he’s in for a long night of nightmares, Ardyn vanishes with that stupid laugh of his that echoes long after he’s gone.

“…About bloody time,” Ignis mutters, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees with effort before he sits back on his feet. It takes several minutes before he feels he’s strong enough to stand, but he’s also biding his time in case Ardyn is still lingering, _watching_.

Ignis is about to make his biggest gamble yet, and if he’s caught, he isn’t sure he’ll survive whatever punishment the _Accursed_ will most certainly dole out.

He’s lost track of how much time has passed since the day of the accident. He’d spent a long time trying to forget, the memories too harsh and heartbreaking, but he remembers the explosion, remembers the way Noctis is thrown from the car.

Ignis was thrown too, but the MTs waiting nearby gathered him up and stole him away. All according to Ardyn’s plans.

Ignis didn’t understand why. Why Ardyn would sanction the attack, yet spare his intended target and take another in his place.

Unfortunately, Ignis spends the next few months getting those answers.

Glancing up at the machine, Ignis wishes he had the power to destroy it, but knows he doesn’t. He doesn’t have the means, much less the strength. Only one person does.

He has to hope Noctis doesn’t give up. He has to hope his prince comes back to him one more time.

So, Ignis turns on the machine and gets in the chair, feeling his skin crawl at the touch, but he swallows the discomfort. Ardyn isn’t leering over his shoulder this time.

With one deep breath, Ignis sits back and thinks of Noctis.

 

* * *

 

 

“Several years ago, we found Niflheim neck-deep in some crazy research,” Gladio begins as the others quiet and look to him as he sits down.

It’s barely even an hour later. Gladio and Nyx were able to rouse the king despite the late hour and returned to Noctis’s room. All they had to say was ‘Project Somnis’ and upon Regis’s insistence, they were to meet him in Noctis’s room as soon as possible. Nyx left to find Prompto, not only to bring him back but to catch him up on what they’d just learned. He returns with a jittery, sleepy blond puffball, who keeps his distance from Noctis.

“They called it Project Somnis,” Gladio continues as he looks to Noctis, “which we later found out was a play on the name of Ardyn’s brother, but it’s truly a nod to what the research was on: dreams.” He leans forward, clasping his hands together as he tries to think of how to condense this story but still keep all the important stuff in. “It seemed harmless at first; weird, but harmless, until…” He trails off and looks to the king.

“…Until we learned someone was driving this research using the Power of Kings,” Regis adds, looking to his son, “and since the number of people able to do so is very limited, we learned of Ardyn’s involvement in the project.”

“He created a device using the Power of Kings, fusing it with the same technology they use on the MTs,” Gladio picks up. “Magitek cores, all that shit.” He winces at his language choice in front of the king but continues as he looks to Noctis. “But the device was said to create a direct bridge to the Dreamscape. Whoever was using it could travel in the subconscious, but they’d be totally awake. It bridged places, _world_ even.”

“There was a catch, however,” Regis says, meeting Gladio’s gaze. “The research involved those not protected by the Power of Kings to be exposed to the miasma, the Starscourge.”

“They were infectin’ people in order to do this research and build this thing,” Gladio finishes, punching his palm. “So we put an end to it. We raided the facility, freed the people, stopped the research…”

“…Or so we thought,” Regis says as Noctis shakes his head.

“So, how does this tie back to me?” the prince asks, glancing at Prompto, who’s been quiet all this time, but the blond won’t look at him.

“It’s what we found in Ardyn’s notes,” Gladio replies, glancing at Prompto as well but saying nothing. “Sure, we all know his legend, know that he’s going to try and stop the Lucian bloodline so that he can reclaim the throne, but…” He sighs. “His goal was to use the Dreamscape to access the Crystal, take down the wall, kill you before you can kill him.”

Noctis frowns, glancing at his nightstand where the remnants of the cigarette still rest. “But Iggy’s note says I’m safe behind the Wall,” he says. “How could Ardyn get to me? Or the Crystal?”

“I don’t believe he can, my son,” Regis answers, gripping his cane as he leans forward in his chair. “I think despite his best efforts, the Crystal is still beyond his reach even in the Dreamscape. As you are you. And I believe that is why he took Ignis. To lure you out from the safety of the Wall.”

“Well, it worked.” Noctis is getting up from the bed and walking over to his wardrobe to get dressed. “So how do I stop him?”

There’s silence behind him and Noctis turns to find uneasy expressions on everyone’s faces. “What?”

“We don’t know, Noctis,” Regis is the one to answer, meeting his son’s gaze.

“Ardyn’s derailed the whole prophecy thing,” Gladio adds, rising to his feet. “We weren’t anticipatin’ the Dreamscape, Project Somnis, any of this. We only know one thing, as do you.”

Noctis turns to face his Shield.

“Only you can kill him, Noct,” the big guy says as he approaches the prince and offers his hand. “But you ain’t goin’ alone. I’m your Shield, and Iggy is my friend. We’re in this together.”

Noctis smiles a little before he takes Gladio’s hand and grips it firmly, and then Gladio’s yanking him into a tight hug.

By the time the prince pulls back, Prompto’s watching them. “Prom?” he calls softly, offering his hand. “You in this with us?”

Prompto’s eyes drop to the hand reaching out for him, and despite the way he’d last left Noctis, he pushes himself off the wall and walks over, taking his friend’s hand. “Let’s go kick some _Accursed_ ass and get Iggy back.”

 

* * *

 

 

They decide to leave in the morning. Regis lingers after the others have left, walking over to his son and embracing him. “Forgive me, Noctis,” he says as he holds Noctis close. “…Forgive me for how I handled all of this. We didn’t see this for what it was until it was too late.”

Noctis doesn’t know what to say, but hugs his father and forgives him. It’s not too late to fix this.

 

Once he’s alone and in bed once again, Noctis clenches his eyes shut and tries to think of Ignis. He’s not even the _least_ bit tired after what just happened, but he’s desperate. He has to tell Ignis. He has to tell him that he remembers, that he knows, that he’s _coming_ for him.

Frustrated that he doesn’t feel that familiar wave of sleep come to him, Noctis opens his eyes and gasps when he finds himself no longer in his bedroom.

But he’s not in the café either.

He doesn’t know _where_ he is. It’s a cold, concrete, windowless room. A lab, by the looks of things. The walls are lined with shelves and beakers and scientific things that Noctis never paid attention to when he had to take all those classes.

But as he turns to inspect the room, his eyes fall upon the chair in the center, and the person slumped against it.

Ignis.

Noctis runs forward but stops once his eyes take in the sight of the other man. Gone is the rich, lavish façade Noct has spent the past few weeks getting to know, and in his place is a beaten, broken substitute. He knows he’s seeing the real Ignis now and he’s in terrible shape, covered in bruises and cuts, clothes dirty and torn. His glasses are gone, hair a mess, and there’s a particularly _dark_ bruise splotched across the back of his neck.

The prince tenses, hands clenching into fists. He will rip Ardyn to _shreds_.

He takes another step forward, but hesitates and glances around like this is the trap he was worried about, but when Ignis shifts with a quiet groan, Noctis can’t help himself. He runs forward and takes Ignis’s face into his hands, shaking him gently.

“Iggy,” he’s whispering, eyes wide and filling with tears. “Iggy, please, please wake up!”

But Ignis doesn’t respond and it takes everything in Noctis to not scream in fury and anger. He wants to break this machine, but fears what it’ll do to Ignis if he does. There are wires affixed to something Ignis is wearing on his head, and Noctis doesn’t understand what it is, if he should touch it.

Then, he realizes. This is the Dreamscape. This is how Ardyn has been using Ignis to reach him, using the device to infect the prince’s dreams and trick him. This _is_ the device Noctis needs to destroy.

“Iggy…” he breathes again, a tear slipping out as he bends down to kiss Ignis softly, sadly.

It’s like a thing out of a fairytale. Ignis stirs at the kiss, his eyes fluttering open and peering up in confusion, before they settle on Noctis and twinkle with pride.

“Noct?” the adviser whispers. “…Oh, by the Six, it _worked_ …”

But before he can say anything more, Noctis is kissing him again, and with what strength he has left, Ignis goes against his better judgment and kisses the prince back. Noct is straddling him in the chair now, their arms wrapped around each other, the deepening kiss saying more than either one of them can express with words right now.

Ignis knows Noctis has remembered him, and his chest is tight with emotion. His fingers are in the prince’s hair, feeling, touching, _remembering_. All this time apart, all this abuse, Ignis is trying to make up for it as he reminds himself what Noctis tastes like in the kiss that’s turned heated.

Even Noctis has lost himself in the kiss as he reminds himself of how Ignis tastes, and how Ignis kisses. He knows this is real, knows that Ardyn cannot fabricate this, cannot fabricate their love.

But Ignis finally remembers himself and pulls back with a gasp, Noctis whining in protest as he pants against Ignis’s cut lips. He’s filled with a need, a desire he can’t sate, and it _hurts_.

“Noct, we can’t…” Ignis is panting, brow furrowing as he fights himself. He’d give anything to be with Noctis again, but he has to hope that day is still coming. “I don’t have much time.”

Noctis opens his mouth to ask what Ignis means, but his boyfriend plants a finger on his lips and shushes him.

“Darling, no,” he urges. “You must know by now this is a trap. Ardyn has been spinning us from the beginning. He caused the accident, Noct…” His hand trembles at the memory, but he stills it as he caresses the prince’s cheek. “He stole me away along with your memories.”

Noctis stiffens, fury etched in every line of his body and face, but Ignis kisses him softly. “I know, darling,” he whispers, “but you must convince the others that I’m—”

“—They know. Gladio found your message in the cigarette,” Noctis interrupts, pressing close. “We’re coming for you.”

Ignis’s eyes shine with pride and relief as he tries to keep himself composed. “I would have you forget me for good if I knew I could stop you, Noct,” he replies, stealing a kiss before he can help himself. “But if the shoe were on the other foot, I’d tear the world apart to find you.”

Noctis smiles, tears in his eyes as he takes Ignis’s face in his hands, but his eyes fall on the bruises and he tenses again.

“I swore an oath to protect my prince,” Ignis says when he sees where Noctis’s gaze has gone. “I’ve done everything in my power to delay and distract him. I’ve paid my price.” He waits for Noctis to look back at him and offers a smile. “I’d do it a hundred more times if it means you stay safe.” He takes Noctis’s hands in his own, swallowing hard.

“The minute you leave the safety of the Wall, you’ll be in danger,” he continues. “He wants to use the Dreamscape on you. I think he means to get to the Crystal through you and destroy you both. You must destroy this device, he’s put so much of what’s left of his soul into it.”

“How do I destroy it?” Noctis asks, sitting back before he gets off Ignis to look at the chair.

Ignis struggles to sit up and immediately Noctis is at his side, helping him up. The adviser struggles to walk behind the chair with the prince’s help, pointing to the core lodged in the back. “The core powers it,” he says. “Destroying that will stop the device, but ultimately, Ardyn has to die for this problem to go away.”

Noctis stares at core and nods before Ignis shudders against him.

“I must go,” the adviser whispers hurriedly, looking to Noctis with fear in his eyes. “Don’t forget the pills.”

Noctis’s eyes narrow in confusion but Ignis is holding him close. “I love you, Noct. Always.”

“I love you, too, Iggy,” the prince breathes as he presses close to the adviser and trembles. “I never stopped.”

“I know, love,” Ignis says as he pulls back and touches Noctis’s face, tears finally falling from his eyes. “I could feel it, within you.” His hand touches Noctis’s chest before he leans in and kisses his prince. “Close your eyes.”

Noctis returns the kiss and does as asked. When he opened his eyes, he’s back in his room at the Citadel, in bed. He stares up at the ceiling for a long time, trying to calm down, trying to think about what Ignis said, the information he now has about the Dreamscape.

The information Ignis risked so much to give.

Then, Noctis remembers the bruises and marks on his lover’s body and tenses in fury. He’s going to _kill_ Ardyn, or die trying.

 

* * *

 

 

When Ignis opens his eyes, he's relieved to find himself alone and sighs in relief. He reaches to take the device off his head, but just as he does, a hand grabs him by the back of the neck and shoves him forward as he cries out.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know it's a little early today, but i've turned into noctis and i haven't been sleeping well.  
> gonna try to nip that in the bud tonight.
> 
> y'all might not believe me, but i honestly had no idea that dreamscape was already a Final Fantasy thing, i thought i was being smart. lol. maybe i shouldn't admit that.
> 
> i just hope it's still making sense.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> operation: rescue ignis and kick the trash king's ass has commenced.  
> but not everything goes according to plan  
>  ~~i mean, come on, did you expect them to?~~

Noctis barely sleeps, but this time it’s not because of insomnia.

This time, it’s because he’s hours away from leaving on a mission he might not come back from. He’s not so much scared of dying as he is scared of failing. If he fails, which he supposes does mean he dies, he won’t be the only one suffering.

It would mean Ardyn won, and Noctis refuses to let the world fall victim to such insanity. He just can’t let that happen.

 

Eventually, he falls asleep and dreams, but he wishes he’d taken his pills.

He dreams Ignis is being tortured, dreams that Ardyn is doing _unspeakable_ things, while renewing every bruise on that body and burning Ignis with his touch. He’s gripping the adviser by the neck in that spot with the dark splotch and Noctis is screaming at what he’s seeing.

He wakes up to Prompto shaking him, eyes wide and nervous and Noctis knows it’s because the blond is frightened he wouldn’t be able to wake him up again like last time. Relief floods his friend’s face for an instant before Prompto is sitting beside him.

“Dude, are you okay?”

Noctis tries to nod, but he chokes back a sob when memories flash of the way Ardyn is moving against Ignis and he shudders. “Yeah,” he finally manages to say, scrubbing his eyes.

_We need to hurry._

“It’s time to go,” Prompto advises after a moment, glancing out the window. “Car’s ready to take us to the station so we can catch the train.”

Noctis nods, glancing at his friend as he pushes away the memory of the dream

_Please let that just be a dream…_

“Alright, I’ll be out in a minute,” he says to his friend, watching Prompto get to his feet before he reaches out to take the blond’s wrist. “Wait, Prom.”

Prompto winces like he knows what’s coming, but stops and turns as Noctis gets up from the bed. “Dude, can we not—”

“—Thank you,” Noctis cuts off, throwing Prompto off guard.

“…Uh, f-for what?”

“You took care of me all this time.” Noctis puts a hand on the other’s shoulder. “I know this hasn’t been easy on you, and I’m…I’m sorry I can’t be what you need.” He meets Prompto’s nervous gaze. “You’re my best friend, Prom. I don’t want to ever lose you.”

Prompto relaxes, his gaze softens, and the two embrace. “I’m not going anywhere, buddy,” the blond says as they pull apart and Noctis smiles before he nods and moves to get dressed.

 

* * *

 

 

Ten minutes later, he’s almost out the door before he feels like he’s forgetting something. Normally, he’d run out the door and deal with whatever he’s forgotten when it becomes an issue, but something’s making him turn back around and give his bedroom one last glance. Something is telling him that this is too important to risk forgetting.

And his eyes fall upon the bottle of pills sitting next to his bed.

_Don’t forget the pills._

Noctis gasps softly at the recollection and he’s walking forward before he stops.  Surely Ignis was just reminding him to take the pills before bed so that Ardyn can’t get to him – _oops,_ Noctis thinks – but something is urging him to grab the bottle.

So, he does, shoving them in his pocket before he’s out the door and rushing down to meet Gladio, Nyx, and Prompto at the car. Regis is there to see them off, eyes filled with worry and fierce resolve. He reaches for Noctis, embracing his son.

“Come back to me, Noctis,” he says in the prince’s ear.

“You got it, dad.”

 

* * *

 

 

The car ride is silent, and not much is said even when they arrive at the station and get on the train. The sun is barely cresting the horizon when the train departs the station and carries them off to Niflheim, and the road ahead is long.

Prompto is already snoring next to Noctis in the private car they’ve retained, and one bump on the tracks has the blond slipping against the prince and snoring into his shoulder. But Noctis doesn’t care, he lets Prompto sleep and smiles at him fondly.

After a moment, Noctis looks to Gladio and Nyx. Nyx is staring out the window while Gladio reads, and Noctis’s gaze drops as he thinks about what these three are giving up to go with him to Gralea. This isn’t a simple rescue mission, Noctis has to kill Ardyn and destroy the Dreamscape.

Reaching into his pocket, Noctis pulls out the pills and wonders again why Ignis warned him.

“Hey, Gladio?”

“Yeah?” Gladio’s eyes are still on the book as he turns a page. Nyx glances at Noctis.

“…No one’s said why these pills are so important,” the prince comments, looking up at the big man across from him.

Gladio pauses, dog-earing the page he’s on before setting the book down. “They’re from Luna,” he explains, startling Noctis with the information. “Remember how we said the Dreamscape exposes those using it to the miasma and the Starscourge?”

Noctis nods.

“Well, those are kind of like little immunity pills,” Gladio says. “She infused her magic into them, for protection from Ardyn and the disease as well as treat those already infected.”

Noctis glances away, thinking about why Ignis would want them. Is that why? For protection? But they’re coming to _save_ him, he doesn’t need them.

The prince’s eyes narrow. “Does Ardyn know about these?” he asks, glancing back to Gladio. “What they do?”

The Shield shakes his head. “Can’t say for sure,” he replies truthfully. “If he got a hold of our records, or investigated our treatment of the victims from the initial research, he would. We treated a lot of the infected with Luna’s help.”

Noctis glances at the bottle in his hands. It’s still over half full, plenty to give out should Ignis need them for that reason.

“Noctis, you should take some,” Nyx speaks up, surprising Gladio and the prince as he looks from the window to Noctis. “I don’t know how Ardyn is finding you, how he knows where you are, but if he’s aware enough to know when you’ve left the safety of the Wall, we could use any advantage the pills give us to hide you from him.”

“Won’t they put me to sleep?” Noctis questions with a frown.

“Nope,” Gladio’s the one to answer. “Ardyn’s the one who caused your insomnia in the first place, it seems. With the pills protecting you from him, you went back to sleeping like a rock. You know, like you usually do.”

Noctis makes a face at the other man, which Gladio returns and they both chuckle before Noctis opens the bottle and takes a dose.

Things fall silent after that, and Noctis is left to his thoughts. He’s stuck on wondering what it is going to take to defeat Ardyn. He’s troubled by things he’s recalling Ignis showing and telling him throughout the dreams, wondering now what was important and what wasn’t. Ignis wouldn’t mention the pills if they weren’t important, and Noctis shouldn’t worry because he has them, but he wishes he knew why. He wishes he understood all the warnings he was given.

So many risks and unknown factors.

Eventually, Prompto wakes up and they all wind up playing King’s Knight. Even Nyx, new as he was to the game thanks to Gladio’s influence. It relieves the tension among them, and for a little while, Noctis’s forgets his fears.

They leave their private car, to go eat in the dining car, and upon returning, nap during the long stretch of the afternoon. Noctis feels a pang of guilt when he thinks of Ignis and not being able to see him because of the dose he’s taken.

The dream still haunts him, and it’s one of the only times in his life he wishes it were just a nightmare.

 

* * *

 

 

When they finally arrive in Gralea, it’s late in the evening. Noctis had fallen asleep after dinner, only to be woken by Prompt telling him they’ve made it. A pit forms in the prince’s stomach at the announcement, but he forces it away as he follows the other off the train into the cold air and takes in the sight of the dark city around them.

Ignis is somewhere in there.

It’s a short walk through the station to another train that will take them deeper into the city, into Central Gralea per Ignis’s message. The flow of people is light at such a late hour, but a good chunk are still around, eyeing the four Lucians in confusion but keeping their distance.

They walk away from the station and take in their surroundings, Gladio growling in frustration. “But where’s the damn facility?” he asks, amber eyes searching the buildings for some sort of clue.

Noctis frowns for a moment before he gasps in realization. “He showed me!” he exclaims, eyes lifting to study each building for the one Ignis brought him to. Although several tall buildings crowd around him, Noctis spots the one he’s looking for stretching up behind the nearest buildings a few blocks away. “That one!”

“What?” Prompto exclaims dubiously. “Are you sure?”

Noctis nods. “Iggy brought me there,” he confirms, turning to Gladio. “He knew what was doing. He disguised it as a high-end apartment building, but I recognize it, I _swear_. I know it’s the same building.”

“It’s the best lead we’ve got,” Gladio says, looking to Prompto before nodding to Noctis. Nyx nods his agreement and together, they rush down the sidewalk in the direction of the building Noctis insists is the facility.

After running a couple of blocks, Noctis spots a newspaper stand and realizes he recognizes it. “… _Six_ ,” he breathes, turning to look across from it and jerking in surprise when it’s the coffee shop from his dreams. It’s closed for the night, but a shiver still runs over him when he realizes he was actually _here_.

“Is this it?” Prompto is asking, noticing the look on Noctis’s face. “The coffee shop?”

Noctis is nodding before he forces himself away from the coffee shop to look down the sidewalk. He’s so close to Ignis, it breaks his heart. “A few more blocks this way,” he says, taking off.

The others follow, and Noctis can’t help but run faster once the building comes within view. It stretches high into the sky and Noctis is suddenly worried about how on Eos they’re supposed to find Ignis in there.

Gladio shares his concern as he moves to stand beside Noctis, touching his shoulder. “…Do you have _any_ idea where he could be in all that?” he asks.

Noctis tries to think, remembering the apartment that took up the whole floor, but something is telling him that’s the wrong path. He thinks back to this last time around, where Ignis was in the Dreamscape in the cold, windowless room and Noctis’s gaze snaps back to the building.

“The basement,” he says with certainty before glancing up at Gladio. “Ardyn might be higher up in the building, but Ignis is in the basement. I’m sure of it.”

Prompto’s fingers are twitching over his holsters as he stares at the building. “What’s the plan, buddy?”

“We go for Iggy,” Noctis replies. “I’m sure Ardyn’s just waiting for his chance to get me, so you guys should focus on Iggy, and I’ll…I’ll figure out this Ardyn thing.”

Gladio glares down at the prince. “I’m stickin’ with you,” he says. “There’s no way you’re going against him alone.” He glances to Nyx, then Prompto. “They can handle Specs, but you ain’t going against Ardyn without me.”

Noctis looks at the others, then up at Gladio and slowly nods as he smiles in gratitude. “…Okay,” he agrees softly before the four of them converge on the building.

This time, there’s no doorman, hazy or not, but the lobby in front of them is dark and Noctis is sure the door is locked. From what he can tell, the lobby looks mostly the same with the elevators at the back. He notices a staircase off the left going up and down, and a reception desk to the right.

“We’re probably going to have to break the door,” Nyx observes, looking for signs of security measures they might not be accounting for. “I’m sure once we do all hell will break loose.”

“Then Gladio and I will make a break for the elevators, you and Prompto go to the stairs and down to the basement,” Noctis replies, taking a breath. “I wish I could say more about where he is down there, but the room was windowless and had one door. I know that doesn’t help.”

“You never know,” Nyx tries to reassure as Prompto pulls a gun from its holster and levels it at the door. He inhales slowly and lets out a breath, firing a shot.

And true to Nyx’s word, all hell breaks loose.

 

The instant Prompto’s shot shatters the door, alarms are ringing. But instead of a having just a little time to get to their destinations, Noctis and the other are given no time at all. The elevator doors open, packed with armed MTs, more pouring from the stairs (both up and down), while a handful jump out from behind the reception desk.

Immediately, Prompto is firing as both Noctis and Gladio are summoning their weapons, Nyx’s daggers already in his hands. Together, they leap into the fray.

Prompto downs several MTs with precision shots, sliding past the ones emerging from the desk to gain a moment to reload and resume shooting. Gladio, true to his name, protects Noctis from several initial shots and blows, and together, they move like dancers to take out the nearest threats closing in. Nyx surges past them and slices down a few more, staying on the opposite side of Noctis that Gladio is on as best he can to offer the prince the best protection possible.

It’s over before they realize it, the MTs disappearing in clouds of black miasma, leaving the group in confused silence as they glance at each other to make sure they’re all in one piece.

“Well, that was easy,” Prompto comments a second too soon.

Laughter suddenly echoes around them and Noctis is terrified before he can help it. He should’ve taken another dose of the pills! He opens his mouth to try and warn the others but finds he can’t talk, and then arms close around him as a voice speaks in his ear.

“Welcome to Gralea, my little pretend prince.”

“ _NOCT!_ ” Gladio roars before Noctis’s world fades to black.

 

* * *

 

 

When Noctis’s eyes open, his whole body hurts. He’s lying on a cold surface in what looks to be a cage and he frowns. Where has he seen this cage before…

…and then his eyes fall on the sight before him. The body lying in front of him.

Ignis.

He’s even worse than Noctis remembers him and the prince knows the nightmare was real, what he saw happened, and angry tears are spilling from his eyes before he can stop them.

Trying to stay calm, Noctis inches his hand forward to touch the one close to him, closing his hand over Ignis’s and squeezing. He doesn’t know if this is real, doesn’t know if this is a trap, and he realizes in terror that he has no way to verify that.

Ignis doesn’t respond to his whispers or his touch and Noctis is terrified the other man isn’t going to wake up. He inches his body closer before he hears laughter and freezes.

“Oh, he’s finally awake,” the voice drawls and then Ardyn slips into view outside the cage. looking pale and diseased as if he can't hide it anymore. “Just tweaking a few final things on the Dreamscape and it’ll be ready for you.” He chuckles darkly and leans in closer, face pressing against the bars. “I’m afraid I learned Iggy was being very naughty and had to punish him, but I didn’t want to let that stop me from allowing you one last goodbye.”

He’s laughing as he dashes away from the cage in a grand dramatic fashion, but before Noctis can think of what he could possibly do, the hand he’s holding squeezes his and his gaze snaps to Ignis to find the man watching him and holding a finger to his lips.

“The pills,” he whispers so softly that Noct nearly misses it

The prince is frozen, unsure of what he’s supposed to do, but he remembers the bottle in his pocket and does everything in his power to subtly reach down to get them. He closes his hand around the container and keeps his movements quiet and slow, terrified the pills will rattle and some point and alarm Ardyn. He manages to pass the bottle to the hand holding Iggy’s and his eyes stay on those emeralds until he feels Iggy’s fingers take it.

“Trust me,” Iggy whispers and Noctis does.

The cage door suddenly flies open and Ardyn is grabbing Noctis by his ankles to drag him out with another laugh. Noctis doesn’t fight as his hand slips from Ignis’s, passing the bottle completely to the man he’s leaving behind as Ardyn yanks him to his feet and shoves him towards the Dreamscape.

“Your throne awaits you, Highness!” he’s cackling madly as Noctis stumbles forward. He whips around to face Ardyn, but a hand strikes him across the face and sends him tumbling to the floor.

“I’m not in the business of asking twice,” the _Accursed_ ’s voice is hissing right in his ear and Noctis feels the other man hovering dangerously close atop him before he is once again yanked to his feet and shoved towards the Dreamscape.

Noctis doesn’t fight this time as he makes his way to the chair and sits in it, as Ardyn chuckles and moves behind him, placing the strange crown-like mechanism on Noctis’s head. “The coronation is complete,” he chimes before turning and reaching for a switch. “Now, my dear pretend prince, the real fun begins.”

Noctis is terrified, unsure of what’s coming next, but his eyes fall on the cage, which has been left wide open. He looks to Ignis to find the adviser throwing back a couple of pills, eyes fixed on the prince with a glint in his own swollen emeralds.

And Noctis finally understands, smiling as the switch flips and his world fades to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ignis isn't playing around anymore. *insert dramatic music*  
> I've capped the chapters at 10. it may or may not change, but the end is coming.  
> 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they kick some trash king ass.

Gladio nearly loses it when Ardyn steals Noctis right in front of him, but Nyx is there with a firm grip to his shoulder, bringing him back from the edge as Prompto watches, wide-eyed. The big guy settles for punching the nearest wall, splintering the marble as he turns around to try and figure out their next course of action.

It’s when they turn to face the shattered door that they’re faced with an impossible situation. The street and sidewalk are no longer empty, but filled with MTs that somehow managed to get into place while their backs were turned. Even with all their skills combined, they’re hopelessly outnumbered but the MTs don’t converge, or fire.

They wait in a sea of black and red.

“Looks like we’re gonna need some help,” Prompto laughs nervously, glancing at his companions and noticing their grave expressions before he lifts an eyebrow. “Dudes, really?”

Both Nyx and Gladio are looking at him as he pulls out his phone.

“While you two were busy getting the car ready, King Regis had me getting us some backup,” the blond is saying as his thumb is working over the screen. “Neither Iggy or Noct are gonna be able to handle a train ride back to Lucis. So I got Aranea waiting on standby with her airship.”

Nyx and Gladio can only stare, grateful for the king’s foresight.

“Wait, don’t call her in,” Nyx orders at a sudden thought, eyes snapping back to the MTs crowding the streets. “If they’re just here to keep us in, then we don’t need to worry about that just yet. We need to find Ignis and Noctis and _then_ we can worry about calling Aranea in.” He looks to Gladio. “We can take the elevators to the roof and she can come get us there.”

“I’m goin’ for Noct,” Gladio announces, stalking towards the elevators, but Nyx stops him as Prompto sends a message to Aranea telling her to be ready.

“Gladio, _wait_ ,” Nyx snaps, grabbing the other guy before he can get too far. “I don’t think splitting up is the best idea given our circumstances.”

“Noctis is _my_ responsibility!” Gladio snaps back but Nyx doesn’t back down.

“I _know_ that.” He glances at Prompto and then back at his boyfriend. “But if they’re in the Dreamscape, which I’m willing to bet they are, then there’s not a whole lot you can do for him. It’s his battle now.” He sighs and touches Gladio’s shoulder. “If I had to guess, Ardyn’s probably keeping Ignis close to the device. If we find Ignis, I expect we’ll find Noctis and Ardyn.”

Gladio’s jaw clenches but he finally lets out a breath and nods his consent and they both glance at Prompto.

“Good thinkin’ with Aranea, Prom,” Gladio says after a moment and the blond grins before he can help himself.

“Let’s go get Iggy,” he replies and the three head down the stairs together.

 

* * *

 

 

When Noctis opens his eyes, blue fills his vision. Swirls of various hues of the color dance around him, and as he blinks himself awake, he finds they’re all going to a bright spot ahead of him. It comes into focus and Noctis can’t help a gasp.

It’s the Crystal.

He wonders how he’s gotten here, or where _here_ even is. He can’t be back in Lucis, or the Citadel. This looks nothing like his home. He realizes this is the Dreamscape, that Ardyn has brought him within reach of the Crystal, and…

Wait a minute, where _is_ Ardyn?

Noctis looks around in confusion before hands clamp down on his shoulders from behind, startling him as Ardyn leans close in his ear.

“Now, my little pretend prince,” the gritty voice says. “Let us in, hm?”

Noctis knows he has to stall, knows he has to give Ignis time to do whatever it is he’s planning to do, but regardless, Noctis doesn’t know how to do what Ardyn is asking him. He stares at the Crystal, his mouth opening but no words come out.

“…I don’t know how,” he finally admits, which is apparently the wrong thing to say. The hands on his shoulders clench tighter and he winces, letting out a cry as he drops to one knee. It feels like Ardyn’s touch is burning him.

“Haven’t I already told you I don’t ask _twice_?” Ardyn hisses from above, using his grip on Noctis’s shoulders to yank the prince back to his feet. He shoves Noctis forward with such force, it throws him further than either man anticipates, and he shatters through a Wall he didn’t even know was there.

Noctis isn’t able to catch himself, head bouncing off the ground, vision swimming as he hears Ardyn cackling with glee. He’s stalking forward through the remnants of the Crystal’s wall, looking at the object now within his grasp.

“Oh, well now, that was _much_ easier than I expected.”

Noctis manages to look up and meet Ardyn’s now pitch black eyes as the man summons his Armiger, red-tinged weapons spinning around him to answer their master’s call.

“And now?” the _Accursed_ says, lifting his hands. “Off with his head.”

The Lucian prince struggles to sit up, but gets to his knees, vision still swimming as his own Armiger springs to life around him in a whirlwind of blue. He grasps his sword just as Ardyn’s weapons level themselves at him, and his eyes widen in sudden realization.

Without warning, Ardyn sends them all flying at the prince with deadly aim.

 

* * *

 

 

Ignis is struggling.

He feels the effect of the pills slowly healing the burn of Ardyn’s Starscourge, feels some of his strength returning, but it’s not enough. He crawls out of the cage and collapses against the ground, panting from the effort and gritting his teeth in fury.

If he knew he could, he’d kill Ardyn right now.

He glances up, vision blurry but he can still see Noctis slumped in the Dreamscape with Ardyn hovering over him, lost in the connection the device demands. The _Accursed_ is standing in front of the prince, leaning over him, eyes closed in fierce concentration. But he’s lost to this world now.

It’s now or never and Ignis knows Noctis can only stall for so long.

The beaten adviser forces himself up to his knees, vice-like grip around the bottle of pills as he staggers to his feet and slumps against the cage. He’s spitting out curses that would make even Gladio blush as he forces his way across the room to the Dreamscape.

He’s just a few feet away when he falls again and angry tears are in his eyes as he beats the floor with his free hand. Everything is hurting, everything _burns_. The pills took the edge off, but he almost considers taking another dose, but he can’t. He needs as much of them as he can for what he’s about to do.

It’s his only chance. It’s _Noct’s_ only chance.

Once again, Ignis pulls himself up, staggers to the Dreamscape and touches Noctis’s hand before moving past him and falling to his knees behind the chair. He reaches to open the bottle as his eyes fall on the core sitting in front of him, and he takes a breath.

The red energy device burns brightly as the Dreamscape runs, but swirls of black taint the red device. Ardyn put his soul into this device on a rather literal level, and the core bears witness to that fact.

Ignis can only smile as he places a hand on the core and wrenches the top open. He barely has the energy to lift the bottle of pills and pour them inside, letting Luna’s magic go directly to the source as he slams the cover shut and scoots back to wait.

Some part of him feels like he isn’t going to make it, and his vision is fading… He’s done what he can. The rest is up to Noctis.

 

* * *

 

 

Noctis warp-strikes out of harm’s way in the nick of time, and Ardyn’s laughing as he turns to see where the prince has gone.

“Oh, I love a good game of cat and mouse!”

The prince is dangling high up on the strange swirling surface comprising the walls of this strange chamber, but to his shock and dismay, Ardyn is warping right at him. He gasps and lets go, falling down and rolling to his feet as he turns to see where the _Accursed_ has gone.

Suddenly, Ardyn is in front of him with a sword in hand and Noctis barely has time to grab his own and block the blow. Ardyn is stronger than he’s expected and Noctis is straining to hold the man back. He’s desperately trying to remember his training, remember what Gladio’s taught him over the years, but his fear and worry over everything that’s led up to this moment has him distracted.

And Ardyn was counting on that.

Noctis is running out of time. But he thinks of Ignis, thinks of everything that’s happened all the way back to the accident that started this all, and a fury builds within him. He remembers the explosion, the pain, the loss, the separation, _everything_ Ardyn has done to bring them to this moment and he lets out a scream of fury.

With a surge of strength, Noctis throws Ardyn off himself and unleashes a flurry of blows that has the taller man staggering back in surprise. He manages to block them as they dance back across the room, a smile creeping onto his face as he chuckles.

“Oh,” he gasps as he blocks another blow and locks his blade with Noctis’s. “This is about your dearest Ignis, isn’t it?”

Noctis’s eyes blaze with restrained wrath as he pushes against Ardyn’s blade, but he refuses to engage the other man in conversation.

“I truly hoped you enjoyed that last little show I put on for you,” Ardyn continues taunting. “A broken Ignis tastes the _best_.” He gasps softly. “Oh, I suppose you wouldn’t know _that_.”

Noctis screams in rage and throws his blade at Ardyn, but it’s too late when he releases the taunt was meant to elicit such a reaction. Before he can do anything, Ardyn swings his blade and Noctis feels a pain shoot down his arm as he falls back onto the floor.

Looking over, he sees the blood and the deep gash in his shoulder and he grits his teeth. He’s at a severe disadvantage, knowing he won’t be able to grip his weapon with that cut. He tries moving his arm and bites back a cry.

Ardyn is laughing as he stands over the prince, lifting his sword above him.

“Long live the king,” he says in a low, mocking tone before suddenly he twitches and the sword vanishes from his grip. A hand flies to his chest and he stumbles back.

Noctis sits up in confusion, watching as the pale, disease-splotched face begins  to fade back to normal and the pitch-black eyes become yellow again. Ardyn’s lifting his hands in front of him, turning them over before he’s snarling.

” _NO!_ ”

He arches painfully, loosing a cry as his body begins glowing, a pure-white light that Noctis recognizes from only one source: Luna.

The prince covers his eyes when Ardyn becomes too bright to look at and Ardyn is screaming even as Noctis’s world fades away.

But for the first time, it fades to white.

 

* * *

 

When Noctis comes to, Ardyn is still screaming. The prince stirs in the chair before he gasps in alarm, finding Ardyn standing before him with one hand to his face and the other to his chest, writhing on his feet. He looks up sharply, first at the prince and then to something beyond, yellow eyes flaring in recognition of what has happened.

“ _You_!”

Noctis turns to look and sees Ignis draped weakly over the chair behind him, holding the empty pill bottle in his hand and wiggling it as tauntingly as he can manage.

“I believe you were far overdue for a dose,” the adviser says in a strained voice before his gaze drops to Noctis and he offers a smile. “Now’s your chance, love.” His eyes fall on the gash in Noctis’s shoulder and he tenses, but he swallows back his anger and nods in encouragement.

Noctis’s eyes are filled with happy tears, and pained ones of course, but he reaches up with his good arm and touches Ignis, gripping his forearm before letting go. He rises to his feet, but feels dizzy from the loss of blood and pain throbbing in his shoulder. He forces himself to push the weakness and pain down, summoning his Armiger as he looks at Ardyn, and he knows he’s won.

Just like Ardyn did to him, Noctis levels his weapons at the _Accursed_ and meets that yellow-eyed gaze for the last time. “Long live the king,” he sneers, sending the weapons to their mark. His eyes never leave Ardyn’s as each blade hits home, Ardyn jerking with every impact before he tumbles back to the ground.

Noctis reaches for his sword with his good arm and walks over to the defeated would-be king, standing over him, fury etched in every line of his body as he lifts the blade. “This is for Iggy,” he whispers, driving the blade home into Ardyn’s heart and waiting until the life is gone from those taunting yellow eyes.

A shatter from behind has Noctis whipping around in concern, only to find Ignis with a metal bar in his hands, beating the life out of the Dreamscape’s core. He keeps watching as the other man breaks every breakable part of the chair until he’s dropping the metal bar and sagging against the chair, overcome with a mixture of grief and relief.

Ignis looks up to find Noctis, eyes squinting before he nods to the other man and Noctis is staggering across the room to Ignis. He falls into Ignis’s arms and the adviser sways dangerously before he’s wrapping his arms around Noctis and holding on as tightly as he possibly can.

They’re both weak, both fading as Noctis cries into Ignis’s shoulder. He’s relieved and terrified and happy and it’s too much.

He’s terrified this isn’t real and that he’s going to wake up any minute and face a new horrible reality or dream where he’s forgotten Ignis again.

“Shh…” Ignis is soothing, trying to ignore the blood staining Noctis’s shoulder. He needs help, he’s losing too much blood but Ignis can’t carry him. “I’m here, love. I’m here.”

Noctis tries to contain himself but he’s struggling. He’s overwhelmed and exhausted and he looks up at Ignis through tear-blurred eyes and Ignis kisses him.

“I’m _here_.”

Noctis manages a smile and a nod, but his eyes roll back into his head and he’s slipping. Ignis doesn’t have the strength to hold the prince up and sags down to his knees, terrified at the prospect of losing Noctis before the others find him.

“Noctis, please, hold on…”

As if on cue, there’s banging at the door before it suddenly flies open and Gladio’s storming into the room. Nyx and Prompto are right behind him as all three pairs of eyes fall upon the two on the floor.

Ignis has never been happier to have been barged in on in his life.

 

* * *

 

 

Everything after that is a blur for Noctis as he slips in and out of conscious. He remembers strong arms carrying him out of the basement, an elevator, a shock of cold air, and…an airship? What the hell? There’s gunshots and shouting, but eventually it fades away in a rush of roaring engines.

Noctis feels a hand in his own off and on throughout the way, but eventually he loses consciousness for good and forgets everything for a while.

 

He doesn’t dream, and he doesn’t care.

 

* * *

 

 

When he finally comes to, he feels bathed in light in a bed that’s all too familiar. He opens his eyes and he’s home. The sun is shining directly through his open windows on to him, warming him in its glow. He glances down and realizes his arm is in a sling and his shoulder is bandaged and suddenly everything comes rushing back to him all too fast.

Ignis. Where is Ignis?

His breath quickens and he’s almost panicking before there’s movement in the bed beside him and Ignis is hovering over him.

“Shh…” the other man soothes, leaning close as a hand cups the prince’s face and lips press themselves to Noctis’s. “Easy, darling, it’s alright.”

“Iggy?” Noctis whispers. “…Is this…” His heart clenches. “…Is this real? Are we here?” His stomach twists. “…Did…did we do it?”

Ignis’s eyes soften, the bruises a distant memory although that haunted look is still there and the mark on the back of his neck is faintly present. He nods down at Noctis. “This is real,” he confirms. “The others found us, but you lost a lot of blood. Luckily, Aranea was able to get Lucis in time. Luna was here waiting to heal us both. You’ve been asleep for a couple of days, I’m afraid.”

“Aranea? Luna?” Noctis’s head is spinning from all this information, but he closes his eyes and shakes his head a bit to try and clear it. He feels Ignis’s lips dusting over his forehead and cheeks and he opens his eyes to look at the other man. “Iggy… I…”

Ignis pauses and looks down at Noctis.

“I’m so _sorry_.”

It’s the first time that Noctis has seen Ignis’s gaze _harden_ at him in a long time. “Stop this right now, Noct,” the adviser says sternly. “None of this was _your_ fault. Ardyn, and Ardyn alone, is responsible for what happened.”

Noctis nods in response as he reaches up to touch Ignis’s face with his good hand. He’s so proud of the other man, he’s about to burst, but he settles for another kiss and presses close. “I love you. I never stopped.”

Ignis slides atop the prince, taking his rightful place as he leans in and kisses Noctis again. “I know,” he whispers.

 

Hours pass before they finally leave the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guess what?  
> you've read the fic.  
> epilogue/final chapter to follow <3


	10. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> happily ever after <3

At first, they struggle to move on.

Ignis is plagued by real nightmares of his experience, while Noctis struggles to accept reality for what it is. He wakes up in fear that what he’s seeing isn’t there, that he’s in the Dreamscape and no one can prove otherwise. He’s so far gone down that road, it takes multiple attempts to snap him out of it.

Ignis tries to explain to the prince that certain things cannot occur in the Dreamscape, but decides otherwise. Better to leave some things left unsaid, lest they be reminded of what they went through.

Noctis is finally shaken from his metaphorical nightmare, when Prompto greets him with the news that they can make up their finals. In between Noctis’s condition and the fact that he kind of saved Eos, the university was willing to be lenient.

They extended their leniency to Prompto as well.

Noctis decides his subconscious couldn’t be _that_ cruel, and accepts the responsibility of taking his exams once more.

Ignis attempted to help Noctis study but proved to be more of a hindrance when he found his lips wouldn’t leave Noctis’s neck alone while the poor prince was trying to study.

 

Fortunately, Noctis passes regardless of Ignis’s “help”.

 

As a reward, Regis surprises Noctis with a new car – the _Regalia II._

Prompto is rewarded by being made an official member of the Crownsguard. King Regis decided the blond’s actions in Gralea were more than sufficient a test.

 

After a night of celebrating, Noctis and Ignis find themselves slipping away to drive out of the city. There’s a slight tension in the air, memories of the day their world quite literally blew apart and separated them fresh in their minds. Noctis takes one of Ignis’s hands and stares head on, ready to face it, should something actually happen.

But they make it to the lookout unscathed.

There’s a long silence before Noctis looks over at Ignis, pulls him into a kiss, and talks the adviser into fucking him in the backseat just like their first time.

Ignis isn’t embarrassed anymore.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you, so so so so SO much to everyone who took the time to read this fic and drop a comment and/or kudos.  
> you made my heart swell so big by enjoying it as much as i hoped you would.  
> i'm sorry it ended up NOT being smutty. the muse took hold and was like NOPE (so I uploaded "fade into you..." and "just a little peek" as recompense for that lol, go check em out <3)
> 
> if you have a tumblr or DW, please add me, I'm always look for new friends <3  
> an amaranthine epilogue is coming soon, i just... want it to be perfect??  
> and a stupid funny AU-grocery story fiasco is coming soon. i'm not sure if it's too stupid or just stupid enough for our boys <3

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this several years ago for another fandom that shall not be named. But I love this plot so much, I'm willing to rewrite it to fit it to this fandom. And honestly, I think it's going to be better.
> 
> <3 Enjoy.
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/thelostlucian) | [tumblr](https://thelostlucian.tumblr.com/)  
> | [Ko-Fi](https://Ko-fi.com/thelostlucian)


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